Aurors
by Katie Bell
Summary: Set after GoF. Still unfinished.
1. Default Chapter Title

**Aurors Part One: The Beginning**

Remus Lupin had been paying particular attention to the papers lately.For one thing, they were full of Harry, who had somehow become involved with the Triwizard Tournament.The way it seemed to have happened had never been spelled out; Remus supposed Harry must have found some way to enter, regardless of the contest rules, but it surprised him, a bit.Somehow he'd never thought that Harry would go against Dumbledore's orders for something like that.

_It sounded like something Sirius would have done,_ he thought, surveying the latest article, which seemed to say that Harry was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.He doubted that; the article was by Rita Skeeter.Remus had a low opinion of the woman – something that much of the wizarding world had in common with him.

But strange things had been happening; Ministry workers vanishing, and the Death Eaters on the move.At least there had been no news of Sirius –apart from his occasional owls.Remus gathered that he was in communication with Harry and Dumbledore as well.Just as long as he didn't do something stupid…

A rap on the window signaled an owl.Remus opened it and paid for his paper.Unfolding it, he stared at the headline.**Mysterious Death at Hogwarts, it read.For one dreadful moment, he was afraid that Harry-**

But no.it was an older boy, a Hufflepuff named Cedric Diggory.Remus recalled him from last year; he had been handsome and an excellent Quidditch player, but more importantly, to Remus, he had been a considerate person.Cedric had been one of the fifty or so students who had written to say they'd miss him.

He read the article; it sounded as if the boy had been killed during the Triwizard Tournament, which, it appeared, Harry had won._If, of course, anything this paper reports can be considered trustworthy,_ he thought wryly.But reading between the liens – there was something very wrong.He considered going up to Hogwarts… _No.I'm not welcome there.Snape, and others, would make sure of that.And if it's swarming with Ministry people – I'd like to avoid them- _

**Knock. ******

** **

He** turned, surprised, to see who was at his door this early in the morning.**

"Sirius!"

  
"Moony!How are you?"

"Come inside, Sirius," Remus said quickly, checking around to make sure no one was outside – instinctive habit, since he was a mile from the village."Why are you here?"

"Long story, Moony.Dumbledore sent me, I'll explain everything."He looked around, hopeful."Could I get something to eat?I'm starving."Remus thought he looked it; he wasn't quite so thin as the last time they'd met, in the Shrieking Shack, but that meant very little.

"I was just about to fix breakfast.Eggs sound good?"

"Anything sounds fine."Sirius sat down, exhausted."I've been traveling all night."He picked up the _Prophet_."So, what garbage is being printed this morning?"He looked at the paper."Oh."He sounded sobered."Diggory.That's right, they would have that."

"Do you know what really happened?" Remus asked, beginning to scramble eggs and fry bacon.

"Voldemort, of course."Sirius sighed."That's why I'm here.Voldemort's back, Remus."

"How do you mean, back?"Remus felt a shiver of cold down his spine.Back?Like the way it had been fourteen years ago?

"Back in power, back in a body, back at the head of the Death Eaters."Sirius grimaced."And our rat friend helped him, as I feared."

As Remus finished cooking, Sirius launched on an incredible tale.He didn't stop to eat, nor did his table manners get in the way of the story.

"So Dumbledore sent me to you," he concluded."We're supposed to round up the old group; Arabelle, Flescher…."

"I'll get on that right away," Remus said, nodding. "You said that Dumbledore told Snape you're all right?"

"Yeah."Sirius wiped his mouth."Couple of Weasleys, too, and I think he's going to tell Minerva."

"Arthur Weasley is a good man," Remus said thoughtfully."And his children are, too – the ones I've taught, anyway."He smiled. "There's a pair of twins who cause almost as much trouble as we did."

"And I'm pretty sure I know what Snape's up to," Sirius said slowly."I don't like him at all – you know that, Moony – but I'll admit he's got courage.Not every man would do what he's doing."

"I'm going to get started, going and talking to people, then," Remus said."I'll explain everything, don't worry.You can sleep upstairs – I'm sure you're tired."

"You'll see – everyone?" Sirius asked slowly.

"Yes, Sirius."Remus put a hand on his shoulder.

"Her, too?"

"I'll go there," Remus said softly."I'll make her believe me."

"I thought about – writing," Sirius said.

"I tried."Remus grimaced."She doesn't read letters, they come back unopened.She won't talk to any of us, she's pretending to be a Muggle."Sirius' face fell."I'll make her listen, though."

"Thanks."Sirius seemed to be trying to find another topic now. "What about the others?"

"Most of them will listen – I'll have them write to Dumbledore if they don't believe me."A shadow fell across his face."I was just thinking how many aren't going to be here."

"James and Lily," Sirius stated softly.

"Frank and Anne Longbottom, the McKinnon sisters, Arnold DeColk, Laura Fudge…"He smiled sadly."Perhaps it's just as well Laura isn't here to see how badly her husband is doing."

"Dunno, she might have talked sense into him."Sirius grimaced."How did he ever become Minister? Oh, I know," he continued, cutting Remus off, "they couldn't let Crouch have the job – but still."

"Dumbledore wouldn't take it," Remus added, carrying the empty plates out to the kitchen and setting them in the sink.

"And that's bad, now.Fudge won't move the Dementors, mark my word.He – well, he relies on them, he doesn't believe that they'll join Voldemort."

"They're sure to."Remus grimaced."And he'll never send emissaries to the giants.I'm sure Dumbledore knows that."

"I think he's already taken care of that."Sirius grinned, tired."He's playing things close to his chest, Dumbledore, but he's in control."

"Well, I'm off then," Remus said. "I'll be gone a while; help yourself to anything you like."

"Thanks, Moony," Sirius said, grinning.Remus nodded and left to grab his wand and Apparate off.

"Master," Wormtail said softly, "Master."

"What is it, Wormtail?" Voldemort asked coldly.He had been sleeping, sleeping for the first time in this new body of his, and he did not like to be awoken.Wormtail looked terrified.

"Master, there is another Death Eater here to see you."

"I sent them all away," Voldemort said."Who has disobeyed me?"

"No," said a third voice, cold yet firm."You haven't sent me away, for you have not yet seen me."

Severus Snape stood in the door of the room."I beg forgiveness for failing to answer your summons, Master," he said, eyes on the ground."I was being questioned by Albus Dumbledore and could not escape.I am very sorry."

"Dumbledore?"Voldemort looked up with some interest."What does he know?"

"He knows you have returned, master," Snape."He's setting his own plans into motion."

"What else?" Voldemort demanded."Does he suspect that you are my servant?"

"No, master," Snape replied, bowing."He believes I have rejoined his side.He trusts me."Snape curled his lip."Dumbledore is a fool; he gives trust too easily."

"While I trust no one." Voldemort glanced at Wormtail."What of my servant, Crouch?"

"I am sorry, master, but Crouch is – worse than dead." Snape sounded regretful."He had been unmasked; the real Moody was found."

"A sad loss."Voldemort looked at Snape."You, like my other servants, pretended not to know me," he said softly, in a dangerous tone – though, of course, Voldemort's tone was never not dangerous."Do you expect me to forgive you easily?"

"No, master," Snape said."But I can be of use to you.I do have Dumbledore's trust, and many others of us do not."He smiled cruelly."I am of use to you."

"You are," Voldemort conceded."And I never throw away a useful tool.Very well."He seemed to make up his mind."You shall return to Hogwarts and continue to serve me.You will spy out the other side's plans.And, when the time is right, you shall deliver Harry Potter into my hands."

Many miles away, a young, not yet fifteen year old boy sat up in bed.His dark hair was wet with sweat; he had been having another nightmare, and then his scar had burned, waking him.

Harry knew what it meant when his scar burnt; it meant that either Voldemort was somewhere nearby, or that he was thinking of Harry with especial hate.Harry wondered which it was.He didn't think Voldemort was nearby; after all, the dark lord himself had said he could not touch Harry while he was at the Dursleys.And there was no doubt that he, Harry, had given Voldemort enough reasons to hate him in his short life.

Harry lay down and tried to sleep again, but his mind was racing.This morning he had left Hogwarts to return to the Dursleys.He hoped that his godfather, Sirius Black, was safe.He hoped that the Aurors might be even now cornering Voldemort or the Death Eaters.And he wished that someone would write a letter to him, or send him a newspaper.As long as Rita Skeeter kept her word and didn't write anything more about him!

He considered writing to Dumbledore or Sirius about his scar, but decided against it.After all, he knew why it had hurt.It really wasn't anything to worry too much about.

But as he fell back toward sleep, another thought occurred to him.He remembered, suddenly, the way Dumbledore had seemed- triumphant – when he had told how Voldemorthad used his blood in the spell to restore the dark lord to a body.At the time, Harry had brushed it off, but now he was sure that it meant something very important.But what?

Well, look who's back?I had a nice little break –wrote only one thing in that time, which I am impressed with as I anticipated one or two things in GoF and which I'll publish when I rescue it from the other computer, which is acting odd.

_ _

_Of course I loved GoF.Stayed up to midnight to get my copy, to 11 the next night to read it – I'm a fast reader but there were seven fans and one book.So we had to read it aloud.Wonderful, really really wonderful.Of course, I was wrong about most things, but right about a few others – and I think Blaise is psychic, read "Snake in the Grass" to see what I mean.Lots of questions to answer, lots of stories to write – I'm almost glad we've got a year to the next one!_

_ _

_This seems to be the beginning of yet another epic thingie from me.Perhaps it'll be even longer than the last one – I daresay I've lost most of my audience, except my friends who'll read it from loyalty.Which reminds me – kudos, Peeves, for figuring out that the Sorting Hat wouldn't always sing the same song!_

_ _

_As everyone in the civilized world should know by now, JK Rowling is amazing and writes this stuff out of her own head.I'm just trying to look into her Pensieve!_

_ _

_KB (who is miffed that her namesake was mentioned about twice in the 700+ pages)_


	2. Default Chapter Title

Aurors Part II

Remus' first stop was the home of Mundungus Fletcher, a crotchety old man with a fondness for enchanted Muggle items that occasionally ran him afoul of the Ministry.Fletcher had been one of the best Aurors in his day, though, and he could still cast a hex stronger than anyone else Remus knew.

Fletcher was also a monster hunter, though he had settled down and rarely killed these days.He had known Remus to be a werewolf soon after they met; Remus still wasn't sure how the old man had found out.Surprisingly, it hadn't caused trouble.Remus had, one day, asked why.

"Son, I've killed all manner of beasts in my day," Fletcher had said, drawling a bit."And a good few have done their best to take me with them.There's some as are animals, through and through, like Grindylows and kappas.They've just gotta be killed or captured, or left alone.Then there's the part-humans, and most of them are much worse.Human intelligence mixed with, say, a vampire's instinct, or a goblin's…"he'd paused."But werewolves, now.Werewolves are the most human monsters of all, Remus, you know that.You're the only kind that _is_ human, most of the time, and you're not like vampires, you don't have to kill humans to live."He'd paused, sucking a sherbet lemon slowly."That sort, it's us or them, no truce, no coexistence possible.But your kind –well, I've known werewolves to live their whole lives and never bite no one."He'd smiled."And I like you, boy.Your heart's in the right place, whatever shape you've got once a month."

Remus hadn't spoken to Fletcher in some time, not since before taking the job at Hogwarts. Now he was knocking on the old man's door at nine o'clock in the morning.

The door swung open and a grumpy face appeared.

"Hello, Mundungus," Remus said politely."I'm sorry to call on you like this, but it's quite important."

"Come in, Remus," Fletcher invited.Remus stepped inside the room.It was hung with various trophies; a stuffed kappa, a tanked grindylow, and assorted other creatures.

"I'm guessing this has something to do with the rumpus in the _Prophet_," Fletcher said shrewdly. 

"Yes."Remus hesitated.How was he to explain everything properly?"Professor Dumbledore wants us to alert all the – all the old Aurors to the news.Voldemort's back."

"Back?How back?" Fletcher asked, paling just slightly below his tanned features. 

"Back in a body," Remus said grimly."It'll all be explained properly later, I suppose – no doubt Dumbledore will want to see all of us."

"You said we before," Fletcher prodded."Are you expecting me to help with something?"

"No."Remus took a deep breath. "I received this word from an old friend, someone who's been wrongfully imprisoned for most of the past fourteen years.A man who isn't a Death Eater, isn't a traitor, at all."He waited for Fletcher to say something, then continued."Sirius Black."

"You're telling me that Black is innocent?" Fletcher asked skeptically, after a moment."Son, I know you were friends with him, but he was guilty as anything.It was obvious!"

"No, he wasn't," Remus said stubbornly."We all thought he blew up that street, but he didn't.It was Pettigrew, Peter Pettigrew."Quickly he gave a short version of the events of fourteen years ago, skimping on details.When he finished, he sat back.

"Well, Remus, you've told me a wild tale," Fletcher said slowly."I'd like to believe you – I always liked young Sirius, you know.Are you sure?"

"Very," Remus said."You can write to Dumbledore, if you wish.He knows."

"Or I could catch me a Death Eater and get it out of him," Fletcher growled."You've got me all riled up again, Remus.I'm ready to hunt, and this time I want big prey, dangerous prey."

"Death Eaters are that," Remus said grimly."I'd like to stay, but I've got a lot more people to talk to."

"If you're going to see Figg, she's visiting an aunt," Fletcher advised him."She left the address with me in case of problems.Old habits die hard," he mused, scrounging through a drawer in the table at his side."Here you go."

"Thank you," Remus said.He stood up, read the address, and Apparated from the room.

Little Whinging was a pleasant enough place, Remus thought, though the area he was in had a disconcerting habit of naming all the streets after plants.Remus rather instinctively preferred animals to plants, and being surrounded by streets named Magnolia, Cedar, and Privet was a bit odd.

There it was, ten Cedar Drive, right back of Privet – he scratched his head and tried to remember what it was about Privet Drive he was trying to remember. Knocking on the door, he was not surprised when a middle-aged woman opened it.He remembered her, all right.

"Arabelle?"

"Remus, how nice to see you."She smiled at him."Come in, won't you?"

He followed her in. 

"I'm assuming this has something to do with that tragedy at Hogwarts?" she said."You'd not come out here for much less."

"Yes," he said sadly."I'm here to alert all of the Aurors."

"Oh," she said, and her face went blank for a moment."I'd almost forgotten those old days," she said finally."When we never knew who might be a Death Eater, who might be ready to kill us – or who we'd have to kill."She smiled bitterly.Remus knew well that she had faced one of the most horrible pains of all; her own husband had been a Death Eater and had tried to turn her over to Voldemort.She had been forced to kill him.that was shortly before Voldemort's downfall; he hadn't seen her much since.

Remus sketched out the story he had told Fletcher.She accepted it well enough.

"My horoscope told me that someone this week would tell me something odd that I had to believe," she said.Remus winced; he had never gone in for fortune telling, but Arabelle, he knew, was devoted to the stars.

"Er, this is your aunt's house?" he said, trying to break the silence.

"Will – my husband, you know – his aunt's.She's a Muggle, hasn't got a clue about us."She smiled."Do you know, my aunt used to babysit Harry Potter?"

"That's right," Remus exclaimed."That's where he lives!"Privet Drive.He'd completely forgotten.

He excused himself and went back outside.He knew he should be moving on to the next person, but he was right here, and surely it wouldn't hurt…

He walked down the streets until he reached Number Four.There he rang the doorbell and waited.

A very thin woman answered.

"Yes?" she said in a nasty vice, and he stared.He's met Petunia Dursley perhaps twice, and every time had been amazed at how very unlike her lovely sister she was.

"Excuse me, but I'm here to see Harry," he said smoothly.A fat boy Remus could see right behind Petunia screamed and waddled off as fast as he could.Petunia had gone white.

"There's no one by that name here," she said coldly.

"I know he lives here," Remus stated."I'm just trying to make sure he's all right and everything…"it sounded feeble to him, but Petunia's face went even whiter.

"Are you that – that Sirius Black?" she gasped.

"No," Remus said, looking confused.Then he had an idea."I know him very well, though, is there a message you want me to –"

"Harry!" Petunia shrieked.A moment later, Harry was rushing down the stairs.He stopped halfway.

"Professor Lupin!" he shouted.He ran the rest of the way outside.Petunia locked the door behind him.

"If you attract attention, you can just go sleep somewhere else!" she shriekedthrough the door.

"We really don't want to attract attention," Remus admitted to Harry."Perhaps we should go elsewhere?Have you eaten?"

Harry made a face."Dudley's on a diet still, so no, not really," he said.

"All right, I've not had lunch either. Any suggestions?"

"Er, there's an ice cream place not far from here, near a park," Harry said, glancing at Remus, who was wearing robes."You might not attract so much attention there, they're used to all sorts of oddly-dressed people."He grinned."Dudley's gang hangs out there a lot."

Remus laughed and followed Harry.

"So, why did you stop by?I mean, I'm thrilled you did, but you don't live near here, do you?"

"Oh, no, but I had business out here…"

"Something to do with Voldemort?" Harry asked."Dumbledore was sending Sirius to you…"

"Yes, he showed up early this morning and told me everything that's been happening.I've already spoken with a few people."They had reached the little ice cream shop.Harry said he'd go in and order, so Remus gave him some Muggle money – he always carried a bit in case he got stuck somewhere and couldn't Apparate home.

As they ate, Harry asked Remus what he'd been doing over the past year.

"Oh, not much," Remus said vaguely."Keeping an eye out for Pettigrew, trying to write a book on monsters…"

"_The New Monster Book of Monsters_?" Harry asked, grinning and licking the cone where it was dripping down.Remus laughed too.

"It is about due for an update, isn't it?We used those when I was a student – Sirius loved them, of course, he was always setting one loose under the Slytherin table at mealtimes."

"Is Sirius going to be staying with you?" 

"For the time being." Remus finished his ice cream."He'll be safe enough, I think."

"Did he tell you about Snape having been a Death Eater?" Harry asked."What do you think about that?"

"It –well, to tell the truth, it rather surprised me.Severus and I never got along, but," Remus paused, resting his hand on his chin, "but I never saw him as one of them.I'm not really surprised that he's working as a spy now, though.I can see him in that role."

"But why would Dumbledore trust him, knowing what he'd been?"Harry seemed very puzzled.

"Well, Dumbledore's much smarter than the Minster seems to think," Remus began."If he trusts Snape, I think he's probably right to.Even if we don't know the whole story."He smiled at Harry, who seemed satisfied.

"Can I come to visit you this summer?" he asked eagerly."The Dursleys are being awful, just like they always are.It's only because I told them Sirius is a convicted murderer who wants to make sure I'm being taken good care of that I'm not being locked in the cupboard anymore."

Remus grinned."I'd love you to stay, Harry," he said, "But I don't think it'll work.First of all, there's sure to be a lot of work Dumbledore has planned for us.And, it's going to be getting very dangerous, for all of us, Harry.I know you don't like the Dursleys, but you are safe there.Dumbledore's got magic surrounding you, Voldemort can't get you, and no doubt the Ministry is keeping a close watch on you."He thought for a minute."Did you ever use magic over the summer and get in trouble over it quickly?" he asked.

"There was the time a Dobby – house-elf, see – used a charm and I got in trouble," Harry said."And of course after I blew up Aunt Marge, they must have found that out fast…I thought that was just what they did, though, kept an eye out…"

"Well, they do, to some extent," Remus admitted."But not as close an eye as they do on you, I'd bet.Sirius used to do all sorts of stuff in the summers – James and I would help him, sometimes – and he was only caught about three times."

"He didn't get expelled?" Harry asked, amazed.

"You wouldn't believe the way he talked himself out of trouble a couple times."Remus grinned to think of it.

"I'm not afraid of Voldemort," Harry said abruptly."I mean, I guess I'm scared of him – he's, well, very evil and powerful- but I've lived through his attacks four times now."

"And each time, you've almost died," Remus said grimly."No, Harry, you're staying here.Look, I know it's a long time, two months," he said in a softer voice."But it's better than what Voldemort would do to you.And, listen."He smiled, trying to cheer Harry up."I'll come to take you to get your school things from Diagon Alley myself, at the beginning of August."

"All right then," Harry sighed."Would – er, when we get back, would you mind mentioning Sirius very loudly around my aunt?It might save me getting into trouble."

"Of course I'll do that."

Dumbledore was tired, very tired, and very little of it had to do with a lack of sleep.He felt weighed down by a hundred different burdens, each things that he had to do, or have done for him, a thousand different worries.

Fudge had refused to remove the Dementors from Azkaban, or send emissaries to the giants.Dumbledorehad already taken care of the giants problem, but he wasn't sure what to do about the Dementors.

Still, Remus and Sirius would be alerting all the retired Aurors, and Moody would be joining them as soon as he had recovered from his ten months in a chest.Some of the Aurors had now-grown children who would doubtless help, and Arthur Weasley at the Ministry had offered whatever support he could give.Arthur had reported that his eldest son, Bill, had decided to see if Gringotts would let him help out during the emergency that was sure to come.Dumbledore was now composing letters to various people he thought might listen.

He felt as if he were preparing for war – and he knew he was.He and Voldemort were opposing generals who had fought before and now knew many of the other's weaknesses.The clash, when it came, would be worse because of that.

But if he were a general, many of his finest officers were already spent.James and Lily Potter, of course, dead for many years, the McKinnons – a fine and influential family – the Prewetts and Boneses, Frank Longbottom….But there were many others still left.Sirius Black, who he had thought gone, had returned.Remus Lupin, all the Aurors – and new people, too.He knew that many of the students who had graduated recently would believe him, for they knew first hand what dark plans Voldemort had set into motion already.

And the other professors.Minerva was surely his right-hand – well, not man, but anyway – Severus, who was spying rat the risk of pain, torture and death.Flitwick, who'd spent a lot of time in the past few years perfecting chamrs that would be very useful now.Sprout, whose collection of dangerous magical plants was the finest in Britian.He rather thought that Beauxbatons would be helping however they could, and was not yet ready to rule out Durmstrangs.

The only problem was the Ministry, and the Minister in particular.Perhaps Harry didn't know it, but many of the men he had named as Dark Eaters were powerful at the Ministry. Fudge would not listen, and the few who would were doubtless men like Arthur Weasley – unimportant men who were relegated to unimportant departments.How different it had been the first time.

Yet this time was different in one good way. This time they had Harry Potter.

Remus made one more stop, to the home of Adalbert Waffling, another older man.When he was done there, it was about four o'clock.He thought about going home, but decided that he had better make good use of time.

Because he was tired, and because it wasn't far, he caught a Muggle bus to the town he was headed for next – first making his robes appear to be Muggle clothes.As he rode, his mind drifted back to his visit with Harry, and from there to the past, the time he had spent teaching, the time he had been a student – and the few years afterwards when he had still been happy….

"Constant vigilance!" the scar-faced man barked as he stared down at his eleven pupils.They all jumped a bit and tried to avoid his wildly roving magically eye.Remus squirmed a little.He'd heard plenty of rumors about Mad-Eye Moody, and he was afraid, just a little, that somehow the man would discover that he was a werewolf.

Sirius, who was next to him in line, nudged him reassuringly and grinned.Moody's back was turned, and apparently Sirius felt it was a safe enough thing to do.He was wrong.

"Black!" Moody barked, not turning."What do you find so funny?"

Sirius stared at him.

"I asked you a question, Black!"

"I, uh, nothing, sir," he said, nonplussed for once in his life.Now it appeared that James was having trouble not smiling.

"You are all here to learn from me, learn things that may allow you to survive.I don't have to tell you what the death rate is for Aurors – you all knew that before you signed up.Paying attention will let you learn; remember that.Constant vigilance!"

Remus looked at his friends out of the corner of his eyes.They had all leapt at the chance when Dumbledore offered it to them; danger, possible death, low pay, high risk of pain – and a chance to help defeat Voldemort.Well, not all – Peter hadn't come.Not that they'd expected it.And here they were to learn from Mad-Eye Moody, who was apparently the best Auror there was.He didn't seem that happy to be teaching new recruits – even if it was only for a few weeks.

At the end of those few weeks, Remus felt that he'd learned more than he'd ever learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts.For the first time, they were really expecting people – not monsters – to be attacking them.They knew, now, that the Death Eaters did not hesitate to use the Unforgivable Curses.Three young men had already dropped out; now they were broken up into groups of four and sent off for more training.

James, Sirius and Remus were allowed to remain together, and a fair-haired boy named Frank Longbottom joined them.Frank had been a Ravenclaw and they hadn't ever really met him.He knew who they were, though – their reputation was enough for that.Now they were going to Wales, and they were going to do some real monster fighting – dragons.Apparently someone at the Ministry thought that Voldemort was getting dragons to help him.He was a Parselmouth, and though dragons were not snakes, no one really knew whether they might not speak Parseltongue as well.

The first day the four of them took to the air on broomsticks to try to defeat a dragon – a common Welsh Green.It wasn't very big – only about twenty feet long – and could shoot fire a bare ten feet.Of course, that was more than enough to kill them.And no one had given them any hint how to defeat it.

"Right, listen," James said, settling into his role as leader as they sat on their brooms a few hundred feet above the ground."We'll try to Stupefy it first.there's four of us, that might work."

"Right," Sirius agreed."But we've got to get close enough…"

"Just like playing Quidditch," James said, grinning."I'll do a Wronski Feint, and as soon as I pull out of it, you three fire.It'll befollowing me – I'll make sure of that –and won't notice you."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Frank asked, a trifle nervous.

"Sure it a good idea," Sirius said, grinning."James here can pull it off."

Remus didn't really like it, either, but he said nothing and allowed James to fly off.

James darted around the head of the dragon, swerving back and forth to get its attention.It leapt off the ground, after him, and he started up higher and higher.

"Right," said Sirius, watching."We'd better get moving, we have to be close enough."

James was now a hundred feet from the ground.He pointed his broom sharply downward and began to plummet, faster and faster.Barely three feet from the rocks, he pulled upward suddenly, firing a curse as he went.Sirius, Remus, and Frank fired at the same moment; the blasts hit the dragon and it collapsed.

"Good job!" one of the instructors said after the four had gotten back."Very creative.Now you have the rest of the day off; tomorrow you can do it one-on-one."

"That's impossible," Frank said as soon as they were out of earshot."One person can't possibly stun a dragon."

"No," James agreed."So we'll have to find another way.Moony, any ideas?"

"Well, what weaknesses does a dragon have?" Remus asked.

"I have no idea."Sirius grinned."As I recall, in Defense we learned to 'avoid dragons at all costs' and in Magical Creatures, Kettleburn refused to let us hatch any…"

"Well, yes, they are illegal," James conceded, remembering."But still, it would have been interesting."

"Let's think, then."Remus glanced at Frank."Any ideas, Frank?"

"Well, it can't be their scales – and regardless of legends, they have no holes, unless they're really ill.Their mouth?"

"Perhaps…"Remus thought."But to get a spell in there, you'd have to be close enough that it could burn you."

"No, that's a bad idea," Sirius said."Though it might be interesting to let one eat a bunch of fireworks…."

"That won't help."Remus was thinking."Their eyes," he said finally."That's all I can think of.Their eyes don't have any special protection."

"Yes!"James was excited. "A Conjuctivitis Spell, so it can't see, then something else to keep it from squishing you accidentally anyway.Knew you could do it, Moony."

"I still think it would be fun to feed one fireworks," Sirius insisted.

"You go ahead and do that then."James grinned at his friend."And now that we've 

worked that out, why don't we all go eat and get back to our quarters?"  
  


"So that you can write to Lily?" Sirius asked slyly.James colored.

"Well, I did promise to write often… and she'll want to hear about this, I'm sure."

"Just remember not to tell her where we are," Remus said practically."Or we could get in major trouble."

"And that is different from our usual sate how?" James asked, but his mind was clearly a hundred miles away – with Lily.

Remus was disrupted from his thoughts and jerked back to the present by the bus stopping.Quickly, he got off and stood alone in the village square.Here he was.

He was feeling rather confident; everyone he had spoken to today had believed him, after all – though he rather thoughtWaffling might write to Dumbledore, just to check.Surely, this would be the easiest trip yet.Surely, she would want to believe him?

He made enquiries in the village shops about her.

"Comes down a couple times a month, she does," an old shopkeeper says."We don't ask about her, she doesn't bother us.Most of the young 'uns thing she's a witch."

Remus smiled, knowing the man would mistake his wry humor for skepticism.

"Not that I believe it, mind," the keeper continued."I heard tell her husband left her.Could do funny things to a woman, I suppose.Actually, toady's her shopping day, generally – if you want to see her, she's probably in the market."

Remus thanked the man and hurried off.He walked through a large open marketplace, where various farmers were selling fresh vegetables, keeping his eyes open.

He recognized the woman quickly enough, though she had changed greatly.He had almost reached her when she saw him.Her face went white and she turned away and started off.

"I've got to talk to you!" he shouted after her, hurrying behind.

"Go away, I don't know who you are!"

"Just a minute, please, it's important.Dumbledore sent me!"

She ignored him, hurrying onward out of the village.He followed.

"I said go away," she said after glancing back at him."I don't want to hear it."

"You have to," he said."Do you know what's been going on?"

"I read the papers," she said coldly."I'm not interested in talking-"

"Voldemort's back."

The road was deserted, which was just as well, for any Muggle would have found the scene odd.She turned around and stared at Remus.

"If you see him, tell him where to find me so he can finish off the job he started fourteen years ago," she whispered.He could barely hear."Thank you for the warning, Remus."She began to turn away.

"I didn't come to warn you." He reached out a hand."Dumbledore's calling all the Aurors back, getting us ready."

"I was never an Auror.I'm not going to become one now."

"We need you.Things are going to get very bad, very fast."

"I don't care anymore.I don't have anything, anyone left to care about.The whole wizarding world can just go rot for all I care."

"We need you."

"Sod off!" she yelled at him."I don't care anymore, I just don't!Go away and catch some Death Eater, Remus."

"That's not all," he said as she turned to go."Sirius is innocent."

He was not prepared for what came next.The basket she had been carrying came flying at his head.

"How can you!You know – _know_ – what he did!You know he was the worst of them, you know he betrayed Lily and James, killed Peter!How can you say such things to me?Is this your perverted idea of a joke, Remus Lupin?Is the fact that I was your friend worth nothing to you?"

"It's not a joke.It's the truth."He spoke quietly, and perhaps his words carried conviction, for she lowered her arm and looked at him.

"You really believe it," she said wonderingly."How can you believe it?"

"Because it's true."He smiled gently at her."Why don't you let me explain, Jenny?"

_Continued soon!_

That's a good-sized part!And I hope you'll forgive me reusing my Jenny.The plain and simple truth is, I have a –er, major – deficiency when it comes to making up characters, and once I've got one, I like to keep him or her.And I really, really like writing romances now (please don't tell my family, they'd never believe you) and Sirius is one of the few characters I can handle writing romances for.And since any woman I write in love with Sirius is going to come out like Jenny anyhow, I figured, well, why not?

** **

**This isn't part of Double Trouble – the little twins aren't going to show up at all as they really don't fit this story.Perhaps it's best to think of the stories as totally unrelated – which they are, though hopefully this will still fit ok with Magical Mischief Makers.After all, GoF basically wiped out most of my old stories anyway!**

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**I am thrilled so many people are enjoying this – I know I am!Air conditioner's broken, and writing takes my mind off the heat, so I'm getting pages and pages cranked out.**

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**Er, disclaimer same as usual.Anyone else think that 'Avada Kedavra' is a corruption of 'abracadabra'?And this story is going to get darker!**

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**KB**


	3. Default Chapter Title

Aurors Part III

For everyone who has made me see Remus for who he really is; especially the WolfieTwins and Blaise.

Remus and Jenny were sitting together over a cup of tea in her kitchen.She was sipping slowly, not looking at him.Neither had spoken for a long time.

Finally Jenny spoke."It's not that I don't want to believe you," she said quietly, taking another sip, "But that I want to believe it so much that I can't, not really, not yet."

"I saw Pettigrew with my own eyes, heard his confession," Remus said gently.He realised how hard it must be on Jenny."I tried to write to you as soon as I found out."

"I haven't opened an owl letter in, oh, thirteen years," she said sadly."Nor have I spoken to a wizard unless I had to.I told you I got the paper, but that's all."

"Why?" Remus wanted to know.

"It hurt too much, mostly," Jenny replied, pouring herself more tea.From the way she was drinking it, you'd have expected it to be something stronger, like whiskey."Too many memories.And of course, the hate mail didn't help."

"Yes," Remus said."I don't suppose it would have."

" 'You're no doubt a Death Eater yourself and should be arrested too', 'I hope the Ministry uses those Unforgivable Curses on you'…"Jenny sighed."I got a lot of that back then."

"Yes, I know."Remus grimaced."And it didn't help, of course."

"No, it didn't."She spoke as if stating a simple fact; her voice was without emotion, but her hands curled into fists."But it was one reason why I didn't divorce Sirius.I've rarely done anything that people want me to."

"No, you never did at school, did you?You listened to Lily, though."Remus tried to smile."You and Sirius were a lot alike."

"Yes."She stared down at the table, now tracing wood patterns with her forefinger."And I found out something in those years… never promise anything; you may find you have no choice but to keep your word."

"What?" 

"The real reason I've hidden for all these years, Remus.Sirius and I, we made all the extravagant promises ever pair of lovers make.I kept mine."She smiled bitterly."I tried to hate him and couldn't.I thought for a while that perhaps I was evil too, but I could hate Voldemort, and his Death Eaters…"Now she laughed, a short, barking laugh."You know I was never an Auror, but I caught a Death Eater once.He was a young boy, - well, now he seems that way; he wasn't much younger than I was then.You know how it was, how they all tried to run and hide… I found him near here.Maybe he thought I was on their side or some such.He found out otherwise."A grim satisfaction showed in her eyes."He went to the Ministry, after he confessed that he was one of _them._" Jenny spat the last word in disgust.

"It's been hard on us all," Remus said gently, trying to catch her eye."But Sirius is innocent, Jenny.Dumbledore knows, and a lot of other people do too, or are going to.It's all right, now.You can stop hiding."

"Did you say you were summoning the Aurors?" Jenny asked quietly. She seemed to be considering something.

"Dumbledore wants them all alerted, yes."

"Well, perhaps it's time for a career change for me."She stood up."Remus, I've known you for a long time.I won't say you haven't lied to me – " she smiled, remembering, perhaps, some of the more spectacular fibs he had told in his first year at Hogwarts, "but I believe you."

"Speak to Sirius and you'll be more convinced," Remus assured her."He isn't guilty, Jenny, and you can tell."

"I will, then."She stood silent a moment."I'll come with you now."

Sirius was seated by the fire when he heard the whoosh of displaced air that accompanies an Apparating wizard.Remus appeared; he looked tired and worn, and for some reason his clothes were enchanted to appear Muggle.

"Glad you're back, Moony," Sirius began, standing.There was another whoosh behind him.He turned, fear leaping in his throat, fear that he had been discovered.

The first thing he saw was long dark hair pulled tightly into a braid and Muggle clothing.Then she turned, and he knew her in an instant, although her dark eyes were full of weariness that he had rarely seen there and missing the light he recalled.She stared at him, three feet away, her eyes traveling across his face and robes.

"Jenny?" he said, holding a hand out to her.

"Go ahead and ask him," Remus said from behind them."If you're not sure."

"Oh, but I am sure," she whispered."Now I'm sure!"And she closed the gap between them and kissed Sirius.

A minute later, Sirius smiled at her."I've missed you, Jenny."

"So have I, you big idiot," she whispered gently, running her hand down his face slowly."And apparently you still need me to take care of you; have you even changed your robes in the past six years?"

"I don't think so," he said, considering."I wasn't really able to get to any shops, you know, Jenny.I'd borrow some off Remus, but I think they'd be a bit small."He grinned more broadly now."How have you been?Remus said you were pretty much living like a Muggle?"

"Yes," she said, dropping her hand to her side."Hiding, really.I was ashamed, afraid, upset, and scared, so I ran and hid."A bitter smile formed on her lips.

"But you've come back now."Sirius was aware, dimly, that Remus had politely left the room.

"Well, Remus said that things are going to get bad again, that Voldemort is back."Now her bitter look was replaced with a real smile."And someone had to look after you, after all, or no doubt you'd get yourself right back into trouble."

"Jenny, I did mange to escape Azkaban and survive alone for two years," he reminded her.

"Really."She looked at him, a look that took in his shabby robes, thin frame, and shaggy hair."I think it's long past time I got here."But her smile took any sting out of her words, the way it always had.

"I hate to interrupt," came Remus' voice from the door of the room, "but dinner is ready, so if you'd like to eat…"

The three spoke animatedly over dinner, first Remus talking about everyone he'd seen that day, and who he was going to visit tomorrow, then Sirius recounting for Jenny what had happened at Hogwarts recently.She too was amazed to learn that Snape had been a Death Eater.

"I just never thought it of him," she said, shaking her head. "I remember him from school very well-"

"So do I," Sirius growled.

"But it just doesn't seem right," she finished, ignoring Sirius."Do you know he had a crush on Lily?"

"What?" Sirius laughed at that."You're joking."

"No, I'm not.It was pretty obvious, too, but I suppose you were so wrapped up in causing havoc that you missed it."

"That's hardly fair," Sirius countered, but Remus interrupted them.

"Listen, I've got a lot of other people to talk to tomorrow, and some of them will be harder to convince than toady's lot.I'm going to go and talk to Dumbledore."

"Are you going to go there or just use the fire?" Sirius asked.

"The fire; I'm tired and I'll need to get up early tomorrow.I'm hoping Dumbledore will write a letter or something to some of the others."

"Tell him that if there's anything I can do to help, I will," Jenny asked, and Remus promised he would.At the door, he paused and looked back at his friends, who were watching him. He shook his head, almost laughing as he went up the corridor.Any Dark Eater who got near Sirius was sure to be in for trouble, and he rather thought Jenny would be eager to fight too._If this is the way our side is, then Voldemort is doomed._He decided that thought was far too optimistic and shook his head.

It took him some time to get hold of Dumbledore, and when he did he was amazed at how much the old man seemed to have aged overnight. Dumbledore had always seemed somehow ageless; now he just seemed ancient.

He reported his successes.Dumbledore smiled."Well done, Remus.It's better than I'd hoped."

"Yes, but I'm worried about tomorrow.I'm planning to see Pritchard, Jarrow, and Johnson, and I think I'll have a much harder time with them."

"I see."Dumbledore seemed to be thinking this over."I'm sending you, rather than owls, because owls could be intercepted easily."

"The way it used to be," Remus remembered grimly.

"Exactly.However, I shall write a letter that you can personally give to anyone who seems to be doubting."

"Thank you," Remus said in relief."Anything I should tell Sirius?"

"Just remind him to keep low; we may know the truth but most of the Ministry does not."

"Of course."Remus nodded, and Dumbledore's head vanished from the fire.

When he awoke before dawn the next morning, Dumbledore's promised letter had materialized on his bedside table.He smiled as he picked it up, wondering how many wizards in the world could do that.Not many, he was sure.

The house was silent as he dressed and prepared breakfast, but Sirius came downstairs as he was eating, Jenny following a few minutes later.Both looked almost as tired as he still felt.Remus relayed Dumbledore's message to Sirius.

"Good advice," Jenny remarked."Since there's nothing I'm specifically to do, I'm going to go to Diagon Alley."

"Why?" Sirius wanted to know.

"Well, for one thing, you need something decent to wear, and you can't go yourself," she pointed out."And – I've got your wand, Sirius, in Gringotts."

"I thought they'd have snapped it," he said quietly. 

"They might have, but one of Crouch's underlings owed me a few favors, you know, and I got hold of it."Her face was blank as she spoke."I don't really know why.And your motorbike is somewhere about, but I'll leave that where it is for now."

"Well, I'd best be going," Remus remarked."See you tonight."He Apparated off.

The whole Weasley family was sitting together around their big table as Ron finished telling about how he, Harry, and Hermione had met Sirius Black a year ago and what had really happened.His mother and Ginny had already heard the story, but this was the first time the others had been able to listen.

"Wow," Fred said when he'd finished.

"Definitely wow," George agreed."How come Harry never told us his dad was that cool?"

"And why didn't you ever tell me what you'd been up to?" Mrs. Weasley asked."I believed what the Minister had said about you being Confunded!"

"Well, Mum, I didn't think you'd believe me – Fudge sure didn't – and, well, it is a pretty strange story…"Ron looked nervous, as if he was afraid she'd start yelling any minute.

"Now, Ron, how sure are you that this is true?" Percy asked pompously."After all, I'm sure Mr. Crouch-" here his face went very mournful, "was quite sure of Black's guilt, or he'd not have sent him to Azkaban."

"Look, Percy, when you see your rat turn into a man and confess his guilt, you're pretty sure!" Ron snapped."That rat almost killed Harry!He's helping You-Know-Who still!"

"You two stop right now!" Mrs. Weasley yelled suddenly at the twins, whose heads were together. "I suppose you're planning to become Animagi or some such, and I'm telling you right now, you're not to even _think_ about it!"

"Aw, Mum," Fred began, but she glared at him and he subsided.

"So what does Dumbledore want us to do?" Mr. Weasley asked his wife.

"To be ready, I think. Do you know anyone else at the Ministry who'll believe you?"

"Diggory, I am sure," Mr. Weasley began, "But I'll not bother him unless I have to."His face was solemn as he thought of Cedric's recent death."A few others, I'm sure."

"The other guys on my team should believe me," Charlie said."If Dumbledore has any use for dragons, well…"  
  


"Gringotts is being rather cooperative, for once," Bill put in."Apparently Dumbledore knows the head or some such.They've told me that I can work odd hours and such- well, odder than now, I mean – and perhaps they can get me transferred to England for a while."

"Ron, have you written to Harry to see how he's doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked with concern on her motherly face.

"Yeah, Mum, I have.The Muggles are being dreadful, like always."

"Such a shame.Perhaps we'll be able to have him to stay, if things don't get worse."

"I think it'll be a long while, at least, mother, before You-Know-Who does anything." Percy was being pompous again."Even if he really is back."

"Oh, Percy, shut up already." Ron rounded on him."He's back all right.We've seen the – the Dark Mark, and Death Eaters are surfacing again, and he's already killed again.What's it going to take to get you to admit it?"

"That's enough, Ron," his mother said sharply."Let's not talk about it right now."

Jonathan Lawrence was a minor official with the Bureau of Magical Law Enforcement, which had been rather shaken up over the part two years, what with all the goings-on.Still, he was happy.He had married his sweetheart and they had a nine-month-old daughter now, and though he often had to work long hours he was paid generous overtime.

This was one of those nights; it was past midnight by the time he got off the Knight Bus near his house.He had to walk half a mile now, because he'd asked the bus to let him off there so as not to disturb Emma or little Rachel.Rachel was hard enough to get to sleep; if she were woken up they'd have no peace at all that night.

As he rounded the bed to his house, he saw the most terrible sight he had ever seen; his house, standing dark and quite… and a skull with a snake for a tongue hanging darkly overhead.

He heard a voice screaming in anger and fear and pain and realized it was his own.It seemed to go on forever.

Remus was shaken awake roughly. 

"What – who's there?" he asked groggily.He'd gotten in very late last night – or this morning, however you looked at it – and it was still dark out now.

"Remus, an owl just came from Dumbledore."Sirius' voice was grave.Remus sat up at once and turned on the light, taking the letter.It was short and to the point.

Voldemort has struck once more.Have all the Aurors you've spoken to get to Hogwarts by this evening.Bring Sirius but watch out for Ministry officials.

_ _

As soon as he'd finished reading, he leapt from the bed, hurrying to dress.

"What time is it, anyway?"

"Five in the morning.It'll start getting light soon."Sirius was already dressed."Jenny's down getting breakfast."

"This is much sooner than I'd expected," Remus muttered."I don't think Dumbledore thought it would happen this fast either.Do you know what happened?"

"Not yet.Hopefully the paper will get here soon."

It did, and the banner screamed **Dark Mark Appears Again**.It told how apparently Death Eaters had killed a young woman and her child, but had very few details.

"Dumbledore'll know what it's about," Sirius said grimly."Perhaps this will make Fudge see reason."

"We can hope," Jenny muttered."What I remember about him doesn't make it seem likely, though."She stared at her cup."He was always an idiot when I had to work for him.Didn't know what he was doing."Jenny had worked at the Department of Magical Catastrophes for a few years at the same time Fudge had been Deputy Minister there."He panicked all the time, over everything.Doubt he's changed much since."

"Yes, I remember," Sirius agreed."We had to work with him a couple of times back…" His words faltered, but the others both knew what he must have been remembering. They, too, had vivid memories of those dark years…

After James, Sirius and Remus had completed their training, they were sent back to London for their first assignments, but first they, Frank, and the other four men who had begun training at the same time were to have a long talk with Professor Dumbledore.They didn't know why, but he left them no doubt.

"The Ministry has allowed me to speak to all of you," he said as soon as they'd greeted him."First of all, I'd like to thank you for the risks you are about to take.But what I wish to speak to you about is much more serious."

He looked at them all, his eyes sober."The Unforgivable Curses.I know you all know about them and know what they do, but what you do not know is that the Ministry of Magical Law Enforcement has decided to authorize their use by Aurors on suspects and Death Eaters."

One or two gasps answered him.

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded, "You know how very serious that is.Now, the people who will be instructing you in them will doubtless warn you about using them without caution, and teaching you how to work them properly, but I want to talk to you and ask you something else.

"Do you think that you would use such a curse?"

No one answered for a long time.Then James looked squarely at Dumbledore.

"I don't know whether I would, sir.I can't see ever using Cruciatus or Imperius… but there might come a time when _Avada Kedavra_ could save my life…"

"Perhaps," Dumbledore allowed."Perhaps.Do you have any doubt that Voldemort or his Death Eaters would use them?"They all shook their heads, no."That is why Crouch and the Ministry believe we should use them.That is why I believe we should not."

"Excuse me, sir?" Sirius asked.He looked like he thought Dumbledore had lost it.

"If we resort to using Voldemort's tactics, how are we any different from him?"

"Well, we're not trying to take over the world!" one of the others said hotly.

"Ah yes," Dumbledore said softly."There is that."He seemed to be thinking."Do you know what happens when you use one of the Curses?Not what happens to your victim, what happens to you?"No one answered, so he continued."You have power over that person, power of pain and suffering, power of life and death.That kind of power can corrupt anyone, make you desire more and more power, until suddenly you find yourself becoming worse than Voldemort ever was.

"And even if it doesn't affect you that way, the power of life and death is not one to be lightly taken on.Who are you to judge someone worthy of death?"

"Well, I think if he's trying to kill me, I'm right to defend myself," Sirius said doggedly.

"Yes, you are.But you know many hexes and charms that will disable an opponent without killing, don't you?"But Dumbledore didn't look upset."I'm not telling you never to use the Curses – that's up to you – but I do want you all to think about it.Think hard."

Almost everyone left then, but James and hung back so Sirius and Remus stayed with him.

"Excuse me, Professor, I was wondering if I might ask you something."

"Yes, James?"

"Have you ever used one of the Unforgivable Curses?"James seemed a bit surprised at his own daring, asking that sort of thing of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore seemed to consider James' words for a long time.Then he straightened up and went to the door.At the threshold, he turned back.

"I have."

Then he left.

Later, the three discussed this.

"Wonder which one?" Sirius mused.

"I don't know."James seemed to think."Well, he thinks a lot of people making their own choices.I can't see him ever using Imperius."

"Or Cruciatus," Remus agreed."But – the Killing Curse?"

"He's faced a lot of Dark Wizards," James reminded them."Perhaps one of them… whatever happened to Grindelwald, anyway?"

"Well, Dumbledore defeated him," Sirius said.

"I knew that."James threw an exasperated look at him."Remus, can you remember?"

"I think he was killed," Remus said, shifting uncomfortably in an effort to recall."The books don't tell that much really, just that Dumbledore defeated him."

"That's what I said," Sirius grumbled under his breath.

"Can we discuss something else now?" Remus asked."I'd like to take my mind off curses."

"All right."Sirius grinned."We get our first assignments tomorrow, you know."

"Something other than that."

"Why don't we just go back to our rooms?" James asked.They were all staying at the Leaky Cauldron, courtesy of the Ministry.

"No, I think we should wait for a little."Sirius was trying not to grin.

"What are you planning, Padfoot?" James asked suspiciously.But Sirius just shook his head.

After an hour, though, James had had it. " All right, Sirius, I don't know what you're playing, but I'm going upstairs.There are better things I could be doing."

"Writing to Lily," Sirius guessed.James went slightly pink."Well, Remus and I will come along, won't we?"

"I suppose," Remus said, getting up.They followed James up the narrow stairs into his room.It was dark inside; James lit the lamps with a wave of his wand.

"Surprise!" four voices yelled.He blinked.There was Lily!She gave him a kiss.He was busy staring around.

"What's this about?" he demanded of Sirius, who didn't answer.

"Birthday surprise," Jenny laughed.

"My birthday's not for a month!"

"That's why it's a surprise," Sirius said.

"Anyway, it was a good excuse to come see you," Lily said, smiling."Letters just aren't the same."

"Oh, all right," James said."It's great to see you, too."

Sirius rolled his eyes."What did I tell you?" he asked Remus."Thirty seconds and they're already getting mushy."

"Mushy?" Jenny began, sounding amused."Perhaps I should-"

"Never mind," he said hastily, and everyone else laughed.

"We've got reservations at the Starfire Room in an hour," Remus announced.James noticed that Jenny and Lily were both well dressed, appropriate for one of the nicest wizarding restaurants in London."So some of us had best get ready."

"Well be waiting downstairs," Lily promised, and Jenny followed her out of the room.

"So, my birthday, eh?" James asked Sirius once the girls had left.

"Well, I figured it was an, 'eat, drink and be merry' thing," Sirius said, shrugging his shoulders.

" 'For tomorrow we may die'."James finished the quote dryly."Not that I'm complaining about the first part."

"Nothing about dancing in there," Remus put in."So is it permitted?"

"You can't go to the Starfire Room and not dance!"Sirius sounded shocked."Come on, Moony, we'd best get changed."

The Starfire Room was everything it was supposed to be.The ceiling was painted to look like the night sky, and then enchanted so that huge comets streaked across frequently.Sirius made snide comments about it being not as good as the one at Hogwarts until Remus pointed out that it was he who'd set of the spell in sixth form that nearly resulted in a large black crater on the Great Hall ceiling.That shut him up.

Dinner was excellent, a real celebration.Afterwards, the orchestra – which was floating halfway up the far wall – began to strike up a waltz.

"Shall we dance?" James asked Lily, who smiled and accepted.They swept off onto the dance floor.

"Aren't you two going to dance?" Remus asked of Sirius and Jenny.

"Do you mind?" Sirius asked, clearly reluctant to leave Remus sitting alone.

"Not at all; you two go on."

Remus watched his four friends whirl about.It was amazing that they didn't run into anything, because they all seemed intent on staring into each other's eyes and nothing else.

"Would you like to dance?"

Remus looked up and saw a young woman standing in front of him.She had shoulder-length blond hair and was, while not beautiful, quite pretty.She smiled at him.

"Ah, yes, certainly," he said, jumping up quickly and taking her hands.

"I'm Remus Lupin, by the way," he said as they began to dance.

"I know – that is, I heard you and your friends."She had the slightest accent, very pretty, and Remus wondered where she came from."I'm Reesa Darrel."

"Very pleased to meet you," he said, and meant it.Her eyes were a very pale blue and shone in the light of the shooting stars overhead."What made you ask me to dance?"

"I saw you sitting alone, and I have no partner either.My brother brought me tonight, but he does not like to dance. I do."She smiled at him."Rather unthinking of your friends to leave you."

"Oh, no," he defended them, "Sirius asked before he went off.They all like to dance, too."

"And you?" Reesa asked.

"When I have as elegant a partner as I do tonight."He smiled at her, and she smiled again, right into his eyes.

The music stopped, and Remus let her go reluctantly."May I have another dance?" he asked.

"I was hoping you'd ask me that."

This time, Remus noticed James and Sirius both looking at him. They seemed to be glad he'd found a partner.

"So, what do you do?" Reesa was asking.

"I work for the Ministry," Remus replied, vaguely.He knew better than to tell just anyone he was an Auror – well, almost – even when it was a beautiful young woman like Reesa."Magical Law Enforcement," he elaborated.

"So does my brother!" She sounded excited."Rion Darrel.Do you know him?"

"I'm afraid not," Remus said."I just graduated this year, though, and haven't been working there very long."

"Yes, I too have graduated this year."Her sentences were just slightly –odd, Remus thought, as if she were not quite used to speaking English.

"Surely you didn't go to Hogwarts?I would have remembered you without a doubt."

"Oh, no," she said."I attended Beauxbatons." That explained the accent.From what he had heard, most students at Beauxbatons spoke French.

"I see.My friends and I all attended Hogwarts."

"It must be very nice to be able to be with your friends."Reesa seemed sad, for some reason."All of mine are in other countries now.We send owls, but it's just not the same."

"I know.James and Sirius and I have been working together, but this is the first time in quite a while that we've seen the girls."Remus smiled."James was going a bit nuts without Lily."

"Are they engaged, then?"Reesa seemed genuinely interested.

"Oh, yes.You should see the way he moons around when he's writing letters to her."Remus smiled."Sirius tries to tease him, but it's not so easy now that he and Jenny have are together."

Reesa laughed easily."I like the sound of your friends."

They danced another three songs, talking pleasantly and getting to know one another.Then Reesa glanced over Remus shoulder and sighed.

"My brother wants to leave, I can tell.I'd better go."

"Well, thank you very much," Remus said.He thought, perhaps, of asking if he could see her again, but decided not to.

"I had a lovely evening."She smiled at him."Perhaps we'll meet again sometime."She hurried over to a tall, scowling man about five years older than she was.He glared at Remus and hurried Reesa off into the night.

Remus returned to the table and watched again.After the dance was over, his friends returned.

"We're all tired now," James explained."And we've all got to rise early tomorrow."

On the way back to the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius interrogated Remus about Reesa until Jenny made him stop.

"Do you want me to think you liked her?" she teased him.He seemed to be trying to think of something really telling, and a moment later did whisper something to her that made her blush, but Remus didn't know what.

Remus slept well that night, but images of a blond-haired girl kept intruding in his ordinary dreams.He didn't mind, though.

The next day, Jenny and Lily hurried off, after a quick breakfast, to their jobs, and James, Sirius and Remus headed for the Ministry offices.

They'd asked to be allowed to work together and today they'd find out whether their request would be granted, and they were expecting to see Crouch, but his assistant said he was elsewhere today and they'd be talking to someone else.

On the way in they passed Mad-Eye Moody, who had another scar on his face.He looked them up and down as they walked past.

"So you survived your training," he said."That's something, I suppose.You here for your first assignments?"

"Yes," James answered for them."We're hoping to be a team."

Moody stared at them."Would you really trust them with your life?" he asked James, nodding at Sirius and Remus.

James didn't hesitate."I would."

"Good.Because if you're a team, that's what you've done.That's why I always work alone if I can."And he stumped off.

Sirius stared after him."Is he ever cheerful?"

"Don't know, but he is the best Auror we've got," James pointed out."Come on, this is where we're supposed to be."

Able Pritchard was to assign them their first task.

"Yes, you'll be a team," he said."Got word from Dumbledore that it'd probably be impossible to break up your trio anyway, so… well, you've got an easy first assignment.You-Know-Who is getting various pieces of dragons from somewhere, large shipments, and we want to know where it's from.That's your first job; find out and cut it off."

"Yes, sir," James answered."Do we have any information?"

"Most dragons that get harvested are in Romania these days," Pritchard pointed out."And we've got a little information, but not much.It's all in here."He handed them a folder of papers."Also, remember that if an emergency's called within a hundred miles of you, get there as fast as possible.Don't worry about Muggles; we'll modify whatever memories are necessary when everything's cleared up." 

They nodded and left.

"Romania," Sirius mused."I'd like to go there."

"Plenty of monsters and dragons and such," James agreed."Have to ask our Dark Arts expert here about safety thingies if we go."He grinned at Remus.

"I'd tell you if I thought you'd listen," Remus retorted."Or that you had to be told – you both got great marks there."

"Yeah, but who was top?" Sirius asked."We know you're the best there is when it comes to that kind of thing, Moony."

"Anyway, this isn't getting us anywhere," Remus pointed out."Are they really sure Voldemort's not just getting the parts from suppliers?"

"Not in these quantities," James said."Look at this!They found three pounds of dragon heartstring in one of his strongholds. Three pounds!And a whole vat of dragon's blood!He's not getting that from any supplier… or some supplier isn't paying all his taxes."

"Which could be true," Sirius pointed out."They might not want to have to explain where the huge orders of dragon are going."He grinned."I can just see it.Dragon take-out.'I'd like a large order of liver, and three pints of blood…'"

"You sound like a vampire or a hag or something," James remarked as he started doodling on the papers from the Ministry."Ok, so if they're getting it from somewhere, how's it getting into the country?You have any idea how long it would take to get this much stuff here if a wizard was just carrying it while Apparating?"

"About three years, we just passed our tests too, remember," Sirius teased."Yes, all right, so maybe they're smuggling it in?Wasn't there a case a while back of someone bringing in enchanted radios from America as supplies for a Muggle shop?"

"I'd love to see how you disguise bits of dragons, though," James pointed out."No; we'll probably have to go and find out."

"Great."Sirius grinned."It's too far to Apparate, we'll have to go on a plane!"

"Sirius, you never took Muggle studies," Remus began.

"Yes, but you did, and got top marks there, so you can do all the talking."Sirius was ass unfazed by logic as he ever had been."No problem.We can go to the Ministry tomorrow, get some Muggle money, get tickets, and go."

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Remus said mildly."We'll have to get passports, for one thing."

"Can't the Ministry get those for us?" James asked."Surely…"

"Oh, yes, but it could take a little time.Somehow I don't think sending three just-trained Aurors to Romania is going to be high on their list of priorities."

"Oh yes it is," Sirius said."We've got contacts.Lily works for the Department of International Magical Cooperation, after all.Isn't that what you go through?"

"Yes, it is."Remus thought a minute."All right, James can go there tomorrow and you and I can figure out what we'll need to take and how we're to disguise ourselves."

Three young men were hiking down a country road.Anyone who saw them would have thought them completely normal, no different from any of the other young people wandering around Europe with their packs on their backs, although an astute observer might be curious as to what creature the hide for their boots came from, and their packs, if opened, held far more than the outside would indicate.

"How much further?" James asked.Sirius pulled out a map.

"Well, let's see."He squinted at the map."Remus, take a look.The stupid thing doesn't orient itself properly."

"Of course not, Sirius, it's a Muggle map.We're not at the center, we're somewhere near an edge.Here we are."He stared for a minute."I'd say, ah, five miles until the next village."

"That's the one where the dragon people are headquartered, right?"James wanted to be sure of where they were going.

"Yes, it is.They'll know if there's been an unusual drop in the population – dragon population, of course – around recently."

"Can we stop for lunch?"Sirius pushed his hair, which was escaping the ponytail he'd tied it in this morning, out of his face.

"No, we'll just push on," James insisted."It's not even noon, Sirius, and you've been eating more than your share anyway."

"Hey, I wasn't the one in charge of food, that was Moony," Sirius protested."Just because he's never hungry around the new moon doesn't mean I'm not!"

"That's not fair," Remus countered."There'd have been more than enough if you hadn't been such a pig at breakfast.I mean, I know how you eat, Sirius, and I planned for it, but you ate four loafs of bread!"

"All this hiking makes me extra hungry," Sirius stated."I suppose we can get some food when we get to the dragons."

"Actually, no," James said with a straight face."The dragons, er, burnt down the town about a week ago and they're rebuilding.They're all living on carrots and such; hope you don't mind."

"Carrots?" Sirius roared, catching up with James."_Carrots_?That's – that's for herbivores like you!"And all three began to laugh.

"Honestly, though," Remus said as they continued their walk, "what are we to expect?I mean, these Muggles live practically in the lairs of dragons, plus vampires, trolls, goblins, and lots of other monsters.How do they not notice them?Do they have once-a-week memory wipes or something?Can't think what that would do to them in the long run."

"Probably make them a bunch of imbeciles," James suggested.

"And that's different from the common Muggle how?" Sirius muttered.He'd several run-ins at the airport, mostly problems with his passport – he kept making his photo turn colors, since it didn't move – and attracting a lot of attention, gawking at planes and playing with the baggage movers.James and Remus ignored him.

"It'd be a bit hard on the, not letting them know what sort of things they could run into just taking a walk," Remus pointed out."Not like England; the only place you'd see a dragon there is in a bank."

"Well, maybe they know," James suggested."You've taken Muggle studies, don't they think people in places like this are primitive and superstitious because they still believe in magic?"

"Good point."Remus thought this over.

Suddenly they turned a bend in the mountain path and stared.Down below them was a valley, wild and green, full of colors.It was like nothing they had ever seen in England. 

"Wow," Remus said finally.

"Yeah," said James.

"Hey, is that the village?Come on, I'm starved."And Sirius led the way.With a joint sigh, the other two followed.

This seems like a pretty good place to stop; 6000+ words.Any longer and I think you might get fed up and leave.It's still coming rather fast, though I did spend twenty minutes debating whether Dumbledore had ever used _Avada Kedavra._

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**Hope the jumping back and forth between then and now doesn't cause any headaches.If you're wondering why young Sirius is so very odd in this piece, I think it's a reaction to the 'Snuffles' line…grr….**

** **

**Disclaimer is what you all know.**

** **

**Oh – and Reesa will be coming back. So I hope you liked her.**

** **

**Katie Bell**


	4. Default Chapter Title

Aurors Part IV

Set in the past and the present, but I use different fonts so hopefully it won't be too confusing. 

Hogwarts felt empty and silent with all the students gone, although the ghosts, poltergeist, house elfs, and most of the teachers remained.It was dusk when people began to arrive, mostly gliding in on broomsticks, though a few appeared to have Apparated to Hogsmeade and walked the rest of the way.

Sirius, Remus and Jenny joined the throng; Sirius wore a hood down low over his eyes and avoided looking at people.As Dumbledore had said, it was no good tempting fate.Professor McGonagall seemed to recognize him, however.She hurried over to the three and spoke in a low voice.

"Albus explained everything to me, Sirius, and I wanted to say –welcome back."She gave a rare smile and they shook hands."We're meeting in the staffroom.Do you know where that is?"

"Yes," Remus answered for them.

"I rather thought you might."She sighed."After all, you always knew where everything else was, here… anyway, it would be best if you just went up and let me stay here to guide anyone who needs it."She headed off to intercept a pair of grizzled-looking warlocks who had just entered.

The staffroom was about half full already with wizards and witches.Sirius looked around.

"Not all of these were Aurors," he commented."I only recognize about a third of them here."

"Well, Dumbledore wants everyone to help, I suppose," Remus remarked."And at least half are – were – Aurors; I know most of them."They took seats near the back of the room and watched people filing in.

When the room was full, Dumbledore came in.His face was missing its customary smile and he nodded gravely to them all.This seemed a signal; fully three-quarters of the voices in the room were immediately raised, asking questions, trying to comment, sounding slightly panicky.Dumbledore spoke; his voice was quiet but it seemed to fill the whole room.

"Please, let me speak.You'll have time to ask questions afterwards."

He began to tell them about the events of the past few weeks, starting with Voldemort's return."I know many of you have heard this story before, but for the rest, I'll explain again."When he got to the part about Pettigrew, however, several people spoke up.

"Are you sure?"

"Isn't he dead?"

"No, Peter Pettigrew is not dead.He is one of Voldemort's most trusted servants –and he has been for many years."

"Then – Sirius Black?" asked one warlock.

"Innocent," Dumbledore said simply."And here tonight; Sirius, if you'd please stand up?"There was a rustling as he did so, a few people seemed nervous even with Dumbledore's assurances."I'd like you to explain about Pettigrew, please."

Sirius spoke, telling how Pettigrew had betrayed James and Lily and faked his own death.He did not mention why Pettigrew had become an Animagus.

"Really, Dumbledore," a wizard called Jenkins said."This is a fantastic story… surely you have some proof?"Several others looked as though they agreed.

"If you are asking if I can bring Pettigrew out for you to see, I'm afraid not."Dumbledore smiled then."But I believe that someone else can verify this for us.Severus?" Snape stood up reluctantly."Most of you know what Snape's role was, years ago?"They nodded."Well – Severus?"

"I have seen – Voldemort," Snape said.His words seemed jerked out of him by force, especially the last."He is restored, as we have heard… and Pettigrew is working for him."

A few people still seemed unconvinced."Do you think I am lying?" Snape asked, more fiercely."For what purpose?Perhaps you think Black is my friend?" He gave a short sharp laugh."Or perhaps it is simply that you do not trust me.I remember you, Jenkins – you didn't believe me fifteen years ago, either.And you, and you," he said, turning to others.

"That's enough, Severus," Dumbledore said quietly.Snape seemed angry with this, but sat back down."So I welcome Sirius Black back to our numbers.I want all of you to put away any suspicions of him; we must stand united, and such suspicions will simply help Voldemort.He is the enemy, not anyone here."

"And how do we know that?" a voice challenged.Mad-Eye Moody stood up."We never caught all the Death Eaters, not by a long shot, Dumbledore.For all we know, someone in this room could be a spy, just as before."His magic eye swept the assembly."How do you know?"

"As I have said," Dumbledore replied mildly, "We must trust each other or we shall assuredly fail."Moody seemed unhappy with this but sat back down.

"Did You-Know-Who really kill someone else?"That was Arabelle Figg."I heard – the Dark Mark…"

"Yes."Dumbledore looked very grave."He has.You've probably all read details in the papers, and they're accurate."

"For once," someone muttered, and the crowd gave a nervous laugh.

"He did indeed strike again.We don't know if there was a reason yet."

"He never really needed a reason before," old Jenkins remarked."No reason he should now."

"But this meeting is for us to discuss what we are going to do."Dumbledore looked at them."A good deal of you have never been here before, because we used to have only Aurors and senior Ministry officials.I never thought this was wise; now I am sure of it.I shall need every bit of help each of you can give.Now, first of all, I'd like everyone here who works for the Ministry to get together with Professor McGonagall; she has some information for you and knows what I need you to do."There weren't many people following her from the room, perhaps a dozen, but balding Mr. Weasley was among them.He seemed more energetic than he had been in years, perhaps because he felt needed.

"I'm going to ask all the Aurors to wait for me here," Dumbledore continued."The rest of you, I need as well, but I will get in contact with you."Most of the people stood up at this point, ready to leave the room.Dumbledore beckoned to Sirius and Remus, who came forward, Jenny close behind.

"I need to speak to you two," he said.

"I'll wait," Jenny told Sirius in answer to his unspoken question."Downstairs, I suppose."

Sirius and Remus followed Dumbledore to his office.He gestured for them to be seated.

"I've got a job for the two of you," he said without preamble."Difficult, dangerous, and top secret.Are you interested?"

"Of course," Sirius replied without hesitation.

"What is it?" Remus asked.Dumbledore smiled.

"I need someone to take an important message to Durmstrangs.I had been in contact with the new Headmaster, Strajhan Acimovic, but my last five owls have all failed to return.I fear that Voldemort and the Death Eaters have already begun to move against the school."

"Professor Dumbledore, am I wrong in thinking that no one knows where Durmstrangs is?" Sirius asked."How are we supposed to take a message there?"

"You'll be talking to someone who does know where the school, is," Dumbledore explained."A student named Victor Krum."

"Krum?The one who was a champion at the Triwizard Tournament?"Sirius looked skeptical."Why him?"

"Because I do know where he lives.I think you'll be able to convince him that he should tell you where the school is."

"When do we leave?" Remus asked.Dumbledore smiled again.

"Immediately.I have something for you first, Remus."He opened a cupboard and pulled out a large gold container."Two months' supply of the Wolfsbane Potion, courtesy of Severus Snape."

"Thank you," Remus said fervently."Thank you."

"I don't need to tell you to keep this mission secret," Dumbledore said, giving Sirius a large silver envelope addressed to the head of Durmstrangs. "I'm not quite as trusting as Moody thinks, and I cannot discount the possibilities that there is a spy in our organization."

"I understand," Sirius said gravely."We'll be off then.Where exactly are we going?"

"Bulgaria," Dumbledore said."To see Krum.Then – who knows?"He smiled as he let them out and saw them to the head of the stairs, then turned and walked briskly in another direction.

Almost in the Great Hall, Sirius stopped dead."What am I supposed to tell Jenny about this?" he wondered.Remus grinned at his friend.

"About what?" Jenny's voice said.They turned and saw her standing at the bottom of the stairs, hands on her hips."Sirius Black, are you planning something stupid?"

"No," Remus said hastily."Dumbledore's given us a task, that's all."

"Let me guess.It's top secret, and you can't tell me."

Sirius nodded."We're leaving now."

"Fine."She smiled at him."But I'm not telling you about what I'm doing either."

"What do you mean?" Sirius hurried down the rest of the stairs."You're doing something?"

"I told you before I was tired of sitting around doing nothing.McGonagall has something for me to try."She smiled."It's safe, though, so you needn't worry. How long will you be gone?"

"Er – we're not sure," Sirius said, glancing at Remus."A while."

"Well, then you'd best be off."

Sirius stared at her.Perhaps the fourteen years they'd been apart had changed her as much as it had him, but this was not how he remember Jenny at all.She should be about ready to explode at him by now, angry that he didn't trust her, or worried that he'd get himself killed.But there she was, walking out of the Great Hall as if he were planning a trip to the store for a loaf of bread.He hurried after her, catching her on the great stone steps before the oak door.

"Jenny," he began, looking at her face.She tried to turn her face away."Jenny, are you okay?"

"Of course I am!" she snapped._Now, that is more like it! Sirius thought._

"Obviously," he said sarcastically."Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"Why should I?" she asked."You're just like you used to be, you know.You show up when you like, and then you're off again, off to save the world or whatever, with nothing more than a 'see you soon, Jenny.'Why should I be upset?"

"I never knew you felt that way," he said slowly, looking her in the eyes.He rather thought there were tears trembling in them.

"Go on then," she shouted."Go off again, and when you come back I'll be waiting for you.That's the way it's supposed to be, isn't it?That's my job, to be the sweet little wife who leaves a lighted lamp in the window for her brave, heroic husband?"

"Jenny," Sirius began, but she slipped out of his grip and turned to look at him.

"You always took me for granted.Well, that's over."She turned and walked off toward Hogsmeade, head straight, not looking back once.Sirius stood and watched her until she passed between the great winged boars and was gone.

Had she always felt this way about his absences? Why had she never told him before?Inexorably, his mind was drawn back to the past, back to memories of his days as an Auror so long ago….

They made good time to the Muggle village and bought lunch at a small bakery.None of them spoke much Romania, but they got on pretty well with gestures and signs.Sirius, however, kept using his few words of the language to ill purpose, asking ridiculous questions that caused the baker to look at them oddly.

"Sirius, people don't ask about flaming cheese balls, okay?We don't need to attract any more attention than we have to," James scolded as they left the shop.

"You're just jealous because I speak so well," Sirius muttered."Where are these dragon tamers supposed to be, anyway?"

"They don't tame dragons," Remus reminded him."They study them, and make sure the hunters don't kill too many."

"Wasn't there something a few years back about there being too many?" James asked."They had to allow more to be killed?"

"Yes.Dragons are pretty territorial, you know, and if there are too many in a small area they kill each other – and anything that gets in the way.Besides, a place like this can only support so many dragons."Remus looked about."They may eat only a few times a month, but when they do, it takes a lot to fill them up."

"Tell us, Professor, what dragons prefer to eat," Sirius joked, rolling his eyes."Honestly, Remus, you sound like a textbook."

"He did ask."

"It's interesting, anyway," James put in."But to answer your first question, Sirius, I think there's a dragon watcher up ahead."He pointed to a thickset man wearing dragonhide boots and pants, and who had a shiny burn scar down one cheek.James approached him and addressed him in English.The only word the man seemed to understand was 'dragon', and he nodded vigorously, pointing toward the hills.

"Can you take us?" James asked.The man held up his hands, obviously not understanding.James tried French, then Remus used a bit of Latin, but the man didn't respond to any of it.

Sirius was flipping through a book."Aha!" he said suddenly, and spouted a stream of unsteady Romanian, going back several times to try and pronounce words properly.The man laughed, nodded, and gestured to them to follow him.

"What on earth is that?" Remus asked as they walked along.

"A book, tells you what to say."Sirius showed him."See, you open it up and it has the words.Pretty neat, huh?Found it at the airport while you two were talking to that guard."

"Sirius, we were trying to convince him that you weren't a terrorist, not having a little chat!" James said."And that's a Muggle book?"

"I guess, it works pretty well though."He looked back at it."Doesn't have a word for dragon, so I just used English."

Pretty soon they reached a small camp.Their guide hurried ahead shouting in Romanian.Sirius flipped through his book."I think he said, 'we have people here to, er, feed the dragons'?I'm guessing about the dragon part."

"Maybe it's 'see'," Remus suggested."See the dragons."

"Oh, yeah."Sirius looked a bit disappointed."I thought they might be Death Eaters and be trying to feed us to the dragons.Too bad."

"Why?" James wanted to know.More people were hurrying out of the camp now.

"Oh, I thought it'd be something to show the Ministry if we found Death Eaters this quickly."

"Hello!" a man called."My colleague here tells me you are here to see the dragons?"

"That's right," James said, thankful that Sirius' phrase book hadn't messed up too badly."From the Ministry in England, you know."

"Ah, yes.I suppose you're here to review our request for a large grant?I think you'll be most impressed with our work here."

"Not exactly," James began, but Sirius kicked him where the man couldn't see and took over.

"Yes, that's right, we're here to find out all about your project.I'm Sirius Black, and these are James Potter and Remus Lupin."

"Bit young, aren't you?" the man asked.

"Where exactly are the dragons?" James asked hurriedly.

"Here and there.We sure don't bring them to camp – don't worry, you'll all be safe there.We've got strong wards up, nothing's going to bother us."He led them upwards.Remus stopped at the edge of camp.

"What are these?" he asked, pointing to a bunch of plants lying around the ground at intervals.They looked quite fresh.

"Wolfsbane and garlic," the man said casually."Can't be too careful…"

"It's a week until the full moon," James pointed out."You need wolfsbane?"

"Better safe than sorry," the man replied.The friends looked at each other, each knowing what the others were thinking.Remus couldn't enter the camp… and they didn't want to have to explain why.

"Bit of a pain, getting fresh wolfsbane every few days, isn't it?" Remus asked casually."Garlic's not so bad, it lasts longer…"

"The wolfsbane isn't that hard to get, but yes, it gets tiresome sometimes."

"We learned an enchantment – in school," Remus half-lied; this charm was one they had learned at school – from books they weren't supposed to have."It activates during the full moon; no werewolf can pass.It'd be simple to show you, and more effective than wolfsbane."

"More effective?Doesn't wolfsbane stop all werewolves?" The man looked a bit nervous.

"Ah, yes, most," Sirius put in, catching on, "but have you ever encountered a vampire werewolf?"

"What?" There was a definite quaver in his voice now.

"Vampire werewolves.I'm sure there are some here – England's not bad, not many vampires or werewolves," Sirius went on."But here… anyway, vampire werewolves are like werewolves, except the rest of the time they're vampires.Wolfsbane doesn't bother them at all."

The man shuddered."Are – are you sure?"

"Definitely."Now James got in on the act."It's a fairly new discovery, but I'm surprised you didn't know about it, living out here in the wild.Anyway, the, er, Lunaris Charm will protect you from vampire werewolves as well."

"Well, maybe you could do it for us before you go?"

"No problem; I've been wanting to practice it.We can actually do it now."James pulled out his wand and beckoned Sirius and Remus over."Right, we'd best age all that Wolfsbane while we're at it, just in case he doesn't remove it."They turned around and started work, James and Remus beginning the Lunaris Charm while Sirius aged the wolfsbane to uselessness.

"That does it," James said after a moment."Your camp is now safe from any kind of werewolf."

"Thank you," the man said, putting out his hand."Philips is the name, Aub Philips."

"Pleased to meet you," they said in turn.

Aub was very pleasant; he seemed to think he owed them one.He showed them around the camp and promised to take them, next day, to look at some of the dragons nearby.It was easy to steer the conversation where they wanted it to go.

"How many dragons do you harvest here a year?" James asked.

"Oh, between five and seven.That's enough for most of Europe.It's about the same number in China, plus a few in Russia.I've heard that Canada exports a lot too, but they've got more there, I believe, and in Peru they still have problems with too many dragons."

"And what else kills dragons here?"Remus wondered. "What kind of illnesses do they get?"

"Not many. Sometimes their scales rot, and now and then they go blind.That's bad; it drives them crazy and they start rampaging around.Other than that, the only things that kill dragons are humans, or maybe a very large and desperate pack of griffins."

"Then there's no truth to the rumor that four or five dragons have died of mysterious illnesses recently?"If there was one thing the others knew about Sirius, it was that no one could tell a better lie.Of course, he often got carried away and went way too far…

"None at all."But Aub looked rather white."Where did you hear that?"

"It's floating around the Ministry.Seems someone told them you couldn't account for every dragon here."

"Well, no, but they change territory now and then.And there are, of course, poachers – not that I think any get through our wards."

"But dragons are missing?" James pressed.

"Well, I suppose you could call it that…."

"When was the last time you couldn't find a dragon?" Remus asked suddenly.He seemed to be thinking of something.

"About two months ago," the man gabbled. He kept going, but none of them were listening.It had been about then that the Ministry raid that turned up large quantities of dragon at one of Voldemort's strongholds had occurred.Possibly there was a connection- but none of them were jumping to conclusions yet.

The dragon watchers gave a tent to James, Remus and Sirius to share that night.Around midnight, Sirius nudged James.

"I'm thinking that we need a new perspective on things," he said."We've heard what Aub said about the dragons and why they went missing, so I think I'm going to check around the area and see if I can find anything that doesn't seem right."

"All right," James said."Just don't get yourself caught."

"Not a problem," Sirius laughed, and then suddenly the great black dog stood there.He almost winked – a difficult task for a dog – and then left the tent.

When James awoke the next morning, Sirius was back.He groaned as James shook him awake.

"Go 'way," he muttered before opening his eyes."Oh, it's you, James."

"Who did you think it was?"James asked sarcastically."No, don't answer, just tell me what you found out."

"The other side of that mountain reeks of dragon's blood," Sirius mumbled."Surprised they can't smell it.Definitely been a dragon killed there in the past few days."

"That recently?" James looked worried.

"Yes."He sat up."I think I know where they took it, too, but there were wards to deter animals up, and I couldn't get through."

"We'll check that out today if we can," James decided."Hey, Remus, wake up!"

The three ate breakfast with Aub, who'd offered to take them to see some dragons that day.

"What sort have you got here?" Sirius asked.

"All sorts, actually.Norwegian Ridgebacks, Welsh Greens, Hungarian Horntails." Aub shrugged."You name it, we've got it."

They saw three dragons that morning, fine specimens in the prime of life, much bigger than the ones they'd taken on in training.After lunch, James stood up.

"My friends and I are going to look about the countryside a bit this afternoon," he told Aub.

"I'll come with you," he offered.

"No need, none at all.The Ministry simply wants us to find out a bit about the conditions here… I believe they are planning to attempt to reintroduce several species that no longer live around here."

They set off from camp, Aub watching behind anxiously.Sirius led the way around the foot of the mountain to a broad valley, untouched by human habitation.

"This is the place?" James asked, looking around.

"Yes.I guess you really can't smell the blood like this."Sirius sounded surprised."It was so strong… ah well, I always forget how good my nose is when I'm a dog."

"Where did you say you thought the dragon killers had gone?" Remus asked.Sirius was surveying the area.

"There, " he said, pointing to a very large stone in a grove of trees.He led the way, and the three inspected it.

"It's a rock," James said finally for all three of them."Sirius, are you sure?"

"Sure I'm sure," he said."We just haven't figure it out yet, that's all."

"Well," said Remus logically, "If you're sure, then it can't be just a rock.It must be enchanted."

"An enchanted rock."Sirius sounded skeptical."Yeah.I'm sure they just put the dragon inside the rock and cut it up there for easy shipping back to England."

"That's not such a crazy idea," James remarked."Or – it could be a portal stone."A portal stone was like a portkey, but it was used in out of the way places like this for transporting large amounts of people, or large objects.

"So they'd get the dragon back to Britain that way?" Sirius asked."Could be…we don't have any proof, though."

"No," James said reluctantly."And we don't know where it might come out, either."

"We could find that out," Sirius suggested."If we used it…."

"That is a horrible idea," Remus told him."We'd end up in a horde of Death Eaters, no doubt."

"Yeah," Sirius agreed."And we could tell the Ministry!"

"Sirius, if we're dead, we're not telling anyone anything."James looked disgusted with his friend."We'll figure out another way."

"Do you think they got the whole dragon the first time?" Remus asked to stop the argument."Or might they have to come back?"

"Good question."James thought."Maybe we should wait here and see…"

"What about Aub back at camp?" Remus reminded him."He's expecting us."

"No problem," Sirius said."I'll run back and tell him we're done here and going home, say we were impressed and all that.Then we can camp out here as long as we have to."

"Ah," Remus said, "We don't really know how long it might be, do we?I'd like to be back in England before the full moon."

"Actually, Remus, this would be a pretty good place for it," Sirius remarked."The camp is protected, and every house down in that Muggle village had garlic over the doors and windows.I'll bet they've got Wolfsbane, too, at the right time, so you wouldn't have to worry about biting anyone."

Remus winced at Sirius' callous mention of his worst fear."Still, I'd prefer to be back," he said stiffly."Are you going or not?"

"Oh, right," Sirius said, and started off back toward the camp.

He returned near nightfall.James and Remus had gotten a fire going and were roasting sausages.

"Those smell delicious," Sirius said, taking three and eating them as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Remember what I said about going easy on the food?" Remus asked."I'm going to have to get more tomorrow, I suppose."

"Good day for it; they said they were going to be treating a dragon all day tomorrow, so I don't suppose they'll be in the village."Sirius ate another three sausages."Just make sure you don't get all vegetables, ok?"

Four days later they had a conference.

"If we're going to get back to England before the full moon, we have to leave now," James said, looking at Remus."And it'll still be cutting it fine."

"I hate to go back empty-handed," Remus said."But…"

"I think it'll be fine to stay here," Sirius remarked, looking around at the mountains."No one around for miles, after all.Be a nice change from that shed you used last time."He grinned at Remus."Even more forests than at Hogwarts."

"That's very true," James said."What do you think, Remus?"

"Well then, let's stay." Remus seemed rather eager, actually."I'll have to go for more sausages, though.Sirius ate the last of them this morning."

"You had more than I did!" Sirius protested."And James, for being a herbivore, you sure do eat those sausages."

"I'm not an herbivore," James protested.

"Whatever you say, Prongs."Sirius rolled his eyes.

"You suppose they have owls down there anywhere?" James wondered."I don't want Lily to get worried about us."

"It's a Muggle village.They don't have owls."Sirius grinned."If you're that desperate, you could use Muggle mail.I suppose it'd get there."

"I think I will."James looked at Sirius."You should write to Jenny too.Lily said she was complaining that she heard more about you from me than from you."

"Oh, I suppose you're right."Sirius pulled parchment and quills out of one of the bags."Here you go, Prongs."He tossed James most of the parchment.

"Aren't you done yet?" he asked a few minutes later.

"No, leave me alone."James was having a hard time saying the thing she wanted to say."How on earth did you manage to write that quickly?"

"He wrote, 'Hi Jenny, we're here in Romania.They've got dragons like you wouldn't believe, and we're going to be here a while longer because of Moony.See you.'"Remus glared at his friend."A very nice love letter, that."

"Sirius, what on earth were you thinking?" James asked."Girls _like_ mushy stuff, for one thing, and that's not a very good letter, for another."

"Oh, I suppose this is better!"Sirius grabbed James' half-done letter and began to read at random.

" 'I miss you so much, darling, and wish you could be here to see what I'm seeing.It's gorgeous country, but I keep thinking about you and that spoils half of it.Hopefully we'll be back in England soon, and I haven't forgotten that I promised to go to Stonehenge with you when you go.'"He read this all in a very sappy voice, pausing every few words to give the words emphasize."James, what's happened to your brain?"

"Look, I miss her, okay?" James said, snatching back the letter and going red."I thought you were in love with Jenny."

"I am!" Sirius protested."I just don't think that means I have to be an idiot."

Remus shook his head.While it was true James' habit of getting a half-witted look on his face every time he thought of Lily was annoying, Sirius had to be a hundred times worse.He wondered what sort of strange attraction it was between Jenny and Sirius that had brought them together.They fought tooth and nail all the time, and the rest of the time seemed to be making up just as passionately.He thought that if he ever fell in love with someone, he'd never want to disagree with her, to fight – but Sirius seemed to enjoy it!

"Look, I'll add a PS," Sirius compromised." 'I love you.'How's that?"

"Slightly better," James sighed."But don't blame me if we get back to England and find Jenny's eloped with Frank Longbottom or someone."

"Right," Sirius said, but he did seem to be thinking about it, and a moment later he scribbled more on his paper.It was still a very short letter when he folded it up and addressed it, though.

"I'll take them," Remus offered."You two should stay and keep an eye out for the dragon poachers."

"Sounds good," Sirius said.James nodded and finished his letter, giving it to Remus as well.It was much thicker than Sirius'.Remus grinned and headed off toward the village.

Sirius and Remus arrived in Bulgaria and took a train to the village where Viktor Krum lived.Apparently several other people in the village were wizards; at least, they knew exactly who Viktor was and asked Sirius and Remus if they were reporters.They shrugged off the questions and made their way to the small cottage.

Viktor's mother opened the door.She spoke no English, but Remus was prepared for this and spoke in slow, unsteady Bulgarian.She smiled, nodded and called behind her for her son.

"Who are you being?" Krum asked when he reached the door.

"We are from Professor Dumbledore, at Hogwarts," Remus said."We need to talk to you."

Krum looked at them and then nodded, stepping outside with them.

"Vy are you needing me?" he asked.

"Dumbledore has a message for the new Head of Durmstrangs and wishes us to deliver it in person," Remus explained."So we needed to ask you where your school is."

A suspicious look crossed Krum's face."Vy should I be telling you that?" he asked."It is a very big secret."

"You came to our school," Sirius said reasonably."And this is important."

"How can I be sure that Dumbledore has sent you?" Krum asked."How I know you are not from somewhere else?How did you know where I am living?"

"Dumbledore gave us your address," Sirius said.

"How is he knowing?" Krum pressed."I am not telling people where I am living, too many people are coming and asking me about the Quidditch."

"Ah," Remus said suddenly."Someone told Dumbledore.Someone who you told…"

"Hermy-own-nee?" Krum asked suddenly, his eyes lighting up."Is she telling you?"

"Who?" Sirius asked.

"Hermione Granger," Remus explained."We are friends of hers, Krum.I taught her, year before last, and this is the godfather of her friend Harry."

"Ah!"Krum looked happier."You are being the Professor Lupin she is always talking of?"

"That's right," Remus said.He looked rather pleased that Hermione was 'always talking' of him.

"At Durmstrangs, ve are having a werewolf teach us too," Krum said proudly."She is teaching us about the plants, how you say it?"

"Herbology," Remus supplied.

"Ah, yes.Erb-lology, that is right.She is very respected by all the professors there.Why did they make you leave at Hogwarts?"

"I suppose we're not as used to werewolves in England as you are," Remus said sadly."But come.Will you tell us where Durmstrangs is?"

"Yes, I vill."Krum disappeared inside and came back in a moment, carrying a piece of parchment and a quill."It is far, far north, Durmstrangs, so far north that in vinter, ve are having days only a few hours long."

"Near the Arctic Circle, then," Remus guessed.

"Yes, that is how you say it.I am giving you map to where school is.It is for air only.That is how ve get to Durmstrangs, ve are flying there."He handed them the parchment.

"Thank you very much," Remus said politely, putting it in his pocket.

"You are most velcome.How is Hermy-own-nee?"

"Ah, she was quite well the last time I saw her," Sirius said, not adding that that had been some time ago.

"She has written to me saying that her parents are not liking her to come to see me this summer," Krum said sadly."They are being Muggles, you know, and she does not like to get them unhappy with her being a vitch."

"I see," Sirius said, trying to sort out Krum's meaning. "Well, I hope you see her soon, though."

"I also."Krum looked very sad."My mother is saying that she is too young for me, but I sayed that I vill vait for Hermy-own-nee.Then my mother is saying that she is not like us, but I am saying that does not matter."He seemed very depressed.

"Have you told Hermione about that?" Sirius wondered.

"No, I am not vanting her to be upset the way I am being."

"Why don't you try writing to her, anyway," Remus suggested."Let her know how you feel."

"I vill do that."Krum brightened a bit – with his features, it was barely noticeable – and turned toward the house."Good fortune looking for our school!"

"You know, now I really wish I still had my motorbike," Sirius said as he and Remus walked and examined the map."It'd be much easier than using broomsticks."

"You could have asked Jenny about it before we left," Remus pointed out.He hadn't seen the argument they'd had, and Sirius had not told him.

Now Sirius thought again, as he had several times in the past few days, about it.He'd tried, twice, to write to Jenny, but hadn't been able to write more than a few sentences on paper before ripping it up.There had been so many times, years ago, that they'd quarreled, but this – this seemed different.Why hadn't she ever said anything about it before?It couldn't be all his fault.It couldn't be.

When the full moon rose in the Romanian sky, three animals stood under it; a wolf, a stag, and a dog.The wolf looked eagerly off toward the village, seeming to hope that its companions would allow it to go down, down where there were people and houses… and animals that did not have sharp teeth or horns.But the others herded it up the mountain, and it went eagerly enough.

The dog and wolf spent that night hunting down rabbits and other small creatures, the stag watching them in a way that seemed vaguely amused.Any human who saw the sight would have found it incredibly bizarre.

Dawn caught them halfway up the slopes, and the wolf began to convulse.The dog nuzzled him gently and his howls diminished, but villagers still heard and knew that their expeditions after Wolfsbane had more purpose than they had thought.

Moments later, a man lay beneath the rising sun.Quickly, the stag and dog also transformed.James pulled a cloak from his pocket and gave it to Remus.He sat up and nodded his thanks.

"It's really not fair that you two keep your clothes when you transform," he remarked.

"Let's hurry and get back to camp," Sirius said."I'm starving."

"Sirius, I watched you eat several rabbits and a squirrel last night," James said dryly."You can't be hungry yet."

"Hey, this wolf here ate most of it!" Sirius protested."I don't see you telling him he can't eat."He looked at them and laughed."Anyway, I'm going to go ahead to camp and start the fire up."He headed off, turning back into a dog halfway down the slope.James and Remus followed in a more sedate manner.

Minutes later, though, Sirius reappeared.He transformed and stood, gasping for breath, in front of them.

"They've come through," he managed to get out.

"Who?The poachers?" James guessed.

"Yes, and I don't think they've gone back yet.If we hurry, we can catch them."

Without a word, the three set off at a much faster pace.They reached the stone quickly and stood behind a clump of trees, talking in low voices.

"If they haven't come back yet, they'll probably come that way," Remus said, pointing."We'll have the element of surprise, but there'll probably be more of them."

"No problem," Sirius said, patting his wand."We'll just have to get them before they can get us."He put a foot on a low branch as he spoke and swung himself up into the tree."It'll be easier for us up here," he reasoned.James and Remus also clambered up nearby trees.

For an hour they waited, stomachs rumbling and muscles aching, until the poachers returned to the stone.They were levitating a large dragon behind them.

_Just a little further,_ James willed._Almost have a clean shot at them…_

Suddenly one of the men collapsed.The others looked at him, concerned, and James began to hurl curses as fast as he could.Remus and Sirius were evidently doing the same; in a moment, the clearing was so full of light that they couldn't see the men.

After a few moments, James lowered his wand, watching.As the dust settled, he saw that there were a half-dozen men sprawled out on the ground.None were moving.

Sirius whooped and leapt from his tree."We did it!" he shouted.James followed after seeing that nothing had happened to Sirius.

"They're all out cold," Sirius reported, beginning to tie them up with strings shot form his wand."Er, now what do we do?"They looked at each other and began to laugh; in all their planning they had never discussed how to transport six bound men to England.

"I suppose we should send for the Ministry," James said after they'd settled down.They'll know how to get these Death Eaters back.We've done our job."

"All right," Remus said."We can use the cooking fire if I make a few modifications.Perhaps the Ministry can translocate us and set up a Portkey to here."

"You go talk to them, Moony, while we make sure they're tied up properly," Sirius said.Remus nodded and headed off."I'll bet they'll be surprised when they see what we've done!"

The Ministry was rather surprised, but someone managed to cut through red tape and get a squad of Hit Wizards to come and take charge of the prisoners.James, Remus and Sirius were able to use the Portkey to get back to England, where they were debriefed by Mr. Crouch himself.

"You did rather well," he allowed grudgingly."Though it was a foolish risk to take; you should have returned to England and allowed more experienced Aurors to catch the poachers."He paused and looked at each of them."Rules say that you are allowed a three day break between assignments, so report back here on Thursday.Dismissed."And he turned back to his piles of papers.

"Wow, he's pleasant," Sirius remarked as they headed for the street."I think I'm going to spend my whole three days asleep."

"I was thinking we might invite the girls to dinner again," James remarked."Tell them about the trip."

Remus stopped short.He'd just seen someone out of the corner of his eye…."I think you two should take Jenny and Lily out privately, you know, just dinner-for-two kind of things," he said."Especially you, Sirius; it'll take that to make up for that dreadful letter."

"Are you sure, Moony?" James asked, eyeing Remus carefully."I mean, we could make it another fivesome…"

"No, you go ahead," Remus said firmly."I have something I want to do anyway."He grinned at James and Sirius."If you don't mind, there's someone I need to speak to."

James and Sirius continued out of the building, talking to each other and glancing back at Remus once or twice.When they'd gone, Remus walked over to the corner of the room where he'd seen her.

"Hello," he said, smiling."Reesa Darrel, right?"

"Oh, Remus," she said, turning and beaming at him."It's such a pleasant surprise to see you!"

"I just got back from assignment," he said casually."I was wondering," here his throat tried to tighten up, but he managed to say calmly, "If you might be interested in dinner?"_There!_ he thought._Even Sirius couldn't do better than that._

"I'd love it," she said warmly."Are you staying in London?"

"No, but my home's not far off.Where should I pick you up?"

"How about the Leaky Cauldron?Seven o'clock?"She was smiling broadly at Remus now, and he grinned back, though he was sure he looked like a fool.

"That sounds great.I'll see you there."

"I can hardly wait."And she sounded as if she were telling the truth!Remus Apparated to his home, dusty and cluttered with books and such he hadn't put away before he left, in something of a daze.

Dressing in his best robes, he realised he was happier than he had been since his mother died a year ago.He had a job, he had helped catch six Death Eaters that very day.His friends were the best he could ask for – even if Sirius was a bit stupid sometimes – and he had asked a pretty girl for a date and she'd said yes.

Jenny had offered to fix dinner herself for them, but Sirius remembered a few things James had told him and refused, insisting that they go out.They'd compromised by deciding to simply have dinner in a café on Diagon Alley rather than at a formal restaurant.Sirius had asked James if he wanted to bring Lily along, but James said he'd already made reservations at The Burning Figg, an elegant place on the outside of town, and that he thought Sirius should spend some time with Jenny alone.

"I'm telling you, that letter will have gotten you into a lot of trouble," he warned."You know Jenny!"And Sirius was fairly sure, now, that he was right… but he really hadn't been able to write anything else.So he was ready to brave a storm of angry words as he called for Jenny.She was dressed nicely and smiling when she opened the door.

"I'm so glad you're back, darling," she said, taking his hand.He was so surprised at this that he couldn't think of an answer.To cover himself, he kissed her, and was pleased to see that she seemed happy to respond in kind.

"So, tell me all about the trip," she encouraged as they arrived at Diagon Alley.Sirius described the countryside, and the dragons, and how they had caught the Death Eaters.Jenny listened attentively.

"Doesn't sound as if you missed me that much," she remarked as he finished.He thought he had some idea of the response she was hoping for.

"That's ridiculous.I thought of you all the time."He smiled."Dragons are hardly as attractive as you are, Jenny."He was rewarded for this by another kiss._Maybe Prongs is right about that sentimental stuff,_ he thought.

"I'm glad you wrote to me," she said suddenly."I wasn't really expecting it.After all, you only wrote three times while you were training."

"I thought it was four," he said, frowning.

"No, three.I've got them all still." She sighed in mock-exasperation."Maybe it was four to your _other_ girlfriend."

"Jenny, with you why would I need another girlfriend?"He grinned at her.She smiled too.

"Good, because you should know by now that if you did have another girlfriend I'd rip your heart out."She smiled as she spoke, but Sirius wasn't really sure she was joking."I didn't think you'd ever write to me like that, though… after all, the letters you sent while you were training were hardly romantic."

Alarms started going off in Sirius' mind."Romantic?" he managed to get out.

"Yes.I was going to ask Lily if she thought James had written it for you, but I decided you wouldn't have done that," she said, teasing.His mind was whirling.He knew very well that no one on earth would consider the letter he had written romantic in the least.

He barely noticed what he ate. But he looked up suddenly when Jenny nudged him.She pointed out the window to someone walking along on the street.

"It's Remus!And who's that with him?"

Sirius peered out into the gathering darkness.Yes, it was Remus, and on his arm was a pretty blond girl.Sirius thought he'd seen her somewhere before.

"That's right," he said suddenly."She's the one he was dancing with at the Starfire Room."

"Oh, yes," Jenny remembered."Reesa Something, Reesa Darrel.Very pretty girl.He said she went to Beauxbatons.Nice to see him out like this."

"Yeah… I didn't think old Moony would ever ask a girl out without James or me making him," Sirius said, staring at the pair who was oblivious to the watchers.

"I suppose he just hadn't met the right girl."Jenny was smiling dreamily at them."I'm not sentimental, you know, Sirius, but I do like to see Remus like that."  
  


"Yeah," Sirius said again.He was wondering where Remus had run into Reesa, and if they'd had a date before."I'll ask him tomorrow…"

"Oh no you won't!" Jenny said sharply."No, I mean it, Sirius.Don't you go annoying him about her.He'll tell you when he's ready.Besides," and she smiled more sweetly, "Tomorrow you promised to take me flying."

"Did I?" he asked, not really remembering.

"Yes.In your letter."That blasted letter again!He'd have to get a look at it somehow and see just what he had managed to say!

They finished their dinner and headed leisurely back.Jenny invited Sirius in for a cup of tea, and he accepted.While she was getting cups and boiling water, he looked around the room, hoping to find the letter.

There it was!He recognized his writing on the envelope. Opening it, he noticed that it had somehow accumulated more sheets… and looking at them, his eye fell upon worse prose than he had ever seen James write.Sickly sentences punctuated with various endearments he had never even heard before swam before him.He heard Jenny coming back and hurriedly replaced the letter.

Who had done this, and why?He had certainly never written _that_, not unless he'd been either under the influence of an illegal spell or criminally insane.Someone had changed the letter between him and Jenny.

And, he realised horribly, taking the cup she was offering him with a smile that he did not really want to wear, now she would be expecting such letters from him all the time!He was in a lot of trouble, whether he told her the truth or tried to fake his way out.Perhaps he could modify her memory… or perhaps he might be able to persuade James to write letters for him… or perhaps he could let the next dragon he met eat him and get it over with.

But Jenny was smiling happily at him, and so he forced his thoughts away from what might be to come and tried out a few of the phrases he had seen in that letter… just to see what happened.She was most receptive to them, and he found himself wondering, at one point, whether James might not be as idiotic as he'd been thinking.

Right, another part finished!I'm just cranking these out left and right, you know!It's beginning to feel a bit like a soap opera here to me – Jenny's really got a mind of her own here, more so than ever before, and the script is getting clogged down in romance!

** **

**Um, this soap opera's inspired by J.K. Rowling's great work, which you all know anyway.Jenny's my own, and so are Reesa and the dragon-watchers.**

** **

**Next time on _All My Aurors_:will Sirius and Remus find Durmstrangs?Will Harry, Ron or Hermione appear?Will Sirius and Jenny be going to a marriage counselor?Will we find out who messed with the letter? Find out next thrilling episode, and don't forget to drink your Ovaltine!(That's a joke for anyone who's ever watched 'A Christmas Story'.)**


	5. Default Chapter Title

Aurors Part V

"…Thus, the public must surely be concerned about the advisability of leaving known Death Eaters in the hands of creatures that might easily join You-Know-Who.We can only hope that Minister Fudge will listen to the brave Ministry officials who have challenged him again to remove the Dementors from Azkaban and replace them with completely loyal Hit Wizards."Jenny put down her quill and surveyed her work.She gave a sigh of satisfaction.She had always thought she could write, and this latest article only proved it.

Professor McGonagall had asked her, when she had been at Hogwarts for Dumbledore's meeting, to write a series of articles for the Daily Prophet supporting Dumbledore's position on issues.Jenny had agreed, not sure how McGonagall was going to get the Prophet to publish such things, but they had been appearing on schedule as she'd written them and seemed to be causing quite a stir.There had been several negative comments, but on the whole there was an air of 'finally, someone other than Rita Skeeter talking about things that matter!'. Of course, she was using a pen name; too many people would see 'Black' and think of Sirius and never read another word.

Jenny picked up the parchment, fanned it dry, folded it, and gave it to her owl, Sparks.He flew off out the open window and off toward London.Jenny sighed and watched him go.

It had been a week and a half since Sirius and Remus had left on whatever crazy mission they were on this time, and she hadn't heard from them at all since then.Had she been too hard on Sirius?Perhaps it was cruel of her to have said what she had so soon after their reunion.But the truth was, he'd always been rather thoughtless, and she hadn't seen any difference in him since he'd come back.

_So why do I love him, then?_She couldn't answer herself; all that she knew was that she did love him, no matter how angry he made her.She knew how lonely and lost she had felt without him… but still, it had needed saying, and she was glad she'd said it.She just hoped he would have thought things over properly and understand what she meant when he came back.When he did, she had a few more words for him… but they were mostly, "I love you, Sirius."She hoped he knew that.

Flying northward over mountains and lakes, Sirius' mind was frequently on Jenny, but his thoughts were far more confused than hers were.She had been rather upset, to say the least, and he was not sure whether she really wanted him to come back or not.Remus knew something was bothering him but Sirius had refused to discuss it at all.It was rather hard to concentrate on the job Dumbledore had given him when he really wanted to be thinking about Jenny.Which reminded him of something else; why on earth had Dumbledore given them this task?Surely anyone could have done this; it didn't take the two of them.They could have been working on tracking down Voldemort or his Death Eaters; instead they were doing owls' work!What could Dumbledore have to say to Acimovic or whatever his name was?What could be that important?

Thinking of that letter brought back memories of another letter, one that had caused him plenty of trouble, years and years ago….

(past) 

Jenny had only managed to get one day off from her job."It's that Fudge," she'd explained, pushing her hair from her eyes exasperatedly."He likes people to think he controls something.He doesn't, really, but it's his power to make me work normal hours.I managed to get today off by promising to work Saturday and Sunday, but he said he can't possibly get anyone to cover for me tomorrow or Wednesday."

"That's all right," Sirius assured her."We can go flying like I promised you.It's supposed to be overcast, so we needn't worry about being spotted."

"I can pack us a picnic," she enthused."We'll make a day of it."

"Sounds fun.I've got to get my bike, of course, and I'd better check the spells on it, but we can start this afternoon, one-ish?"

"I'll be ready," she promised.

Sirius almost always wore Muggle clothes while flying the motorbike; robes were a bit unhandy to ride in.He had a black leather outfit that the storeowner had promised him was quite the style to wear while biking.He never wore a helmet or indeed any type of protection at all, though he was careful to check the spells that made it fly before taking it up, and he tinkered with it constantly to keep it running smoothly.

At precisely five past one, he landed the bike in front of Jenny with practiced precision.She grinned and climbed on the back, giving him a small opaque bag to take care of.

"This is it?" he said doubtfully, looking at it.Jenny laughed.

"Don't be stupid, there's a lot more in there than you think.Come on, are we going?"

"Of course," he said, and kicked the bike to life.It leapt into the air with a roar, as if it were alive and eager to reach the sky.Jenny's hands on his shoulders tightened, then relaxed as the bike leveled out, hundreds of feet above the ground.

They flew forward and the bike began to climb again, but more slowly.Soon they were above the clouds and in bright sunlight.The wheels skimmed the clouds as they turned, rather uselessly, and the roar of the engine was the only sound that could be heard.Even it was rather muffled in the stillness they flew in.They were the only things moving, and it felt as if they were standing still.Only the air whipping their faces and hair told them otherwise.

Jenny had let go of him a few minutes back; now she leaned forward and shouted something.

"What's that?" Sirius yelled back.

"I said, it's very nice up here," she repeated.

"Ah.Yes, it is."He caught a glimpse of her reflection in the instrument display and was pleased to see her widely grinning.

"Remember not to let your leg touch the exhaust pipe," he yelled back."It'll be burning by now."

"Why'd you bother to keep the Muggle systems, anyway?" she shouted, in an interested sort of voice.

"Works better that way," he answered."And it runs the Muggle way too, on the ground, you know.Could come in handy sometime."

"I suppose," she yelled doubtfully."But the levitation charm works like a dream."

"Yes, I fixed that up today.Last time it was rather bumpy getting off the ground."That was the end of the conversation; both of them simply relaxed and enjoyed the ride.

Sirius really did enjoy taking Jenny for flights, and it wasn't just because he loved flying the motorcycle.It was also a very, very good excuse to spend several hours very close to her, alone.She was also one of the few people he knew who liked the motorcycle.James did, of course; he'd helped Sirius rebuild it and make it fly, and liked flying it across the sky at night, making Muggles below scratch their heads and wonder.Remus had come up only twice and hadn't said much about it either way.Peter had flat out refused to get on it, and Lily, though she had gamely agreed to try, hadn't really liked it."I just don't feel as secure as I do on a broom," she'd explained.

"That's the point," Sirius had tried to tell her, but she'd just looked at him as if he were crazy.

Jenny loved flying.She'd told him so several times.He offered once to teach her how to fly the bike herself, but she'd turned him down.

"I'd rather just be a passenger," she'd told him."And you take me up quite a lot, so I think I'll just let you fly that."She looked at it askance."Besides, somehow I feel like it's alive… and I don't know how it would react to anyone else flying it."They'd both laughed at that, but she was right, the motorbike did seem alive, sometimes.

They picnicked in a little grove of trees surrounded by wide fields and meadows.No one else was anywhere near.After eating they waded in a little stream at the foot of the hill where the grove stood.

"If it were a little deeper we could swim," Sirius suggested, but Jenny laughed.

"It's far too cold, Sirius.We'd freeze in this water."

Finally it was too dark to see much beyond their feet, so reluctantly they headed back.Sirius jumped off and helped Jenny dismount.

"Thank you, Sirius," she said."That was a lovely ride."

"I enjoyed it," he said."Maybe next time we can fly up to Scotland or somewhere." 

"That would be nice," she agreed.They stood there for a minute.Then she spoke again."I'm sorry, Sirius, but it's rather late and I have to get up early tomorrow, so I'm just going to say goodnight."

"All right," he said."Maybe next time I can get time off over a weekend, or Fudge will be more cooperative with you."

"Yes," she said, sighing."That would be nice."Sirius kissed her and she went in, turning at the door to smile at him."I hope your next assignment goes well."Then she went inside and shut the door.

Sometime that night Sirius had a revelation.He thought he knew who had changed the letter.He'd do something about it tomorrow.

"James, you fooled with that letter I wrote Jenny, didn't you?" Sirius asked the next day when he met James for lunch, as they'd arranged.

"What on earth are you talking about?"James looked puzzled."What letter?"

"The one I wrote while we were in Romania," he pressed."When Jenny got it it was full of this horrible sickly stuff like you write, and she thinks I really wrote it.So now she expects me to write like that – what are you laughing about?"

"I told you so, Padfoot," James gasped out, slapping his hand on the table."Girls like that stuff."

"Why did you do that to me?" Sirius demanded.

"I didn't."James held up a hand."I swear I never did a thing to that letter."

"But then who did?" Sirius frowned in concentration."Let's see.The post office?No, that was a Muggle thing, they couldn't do that…"

"What about Remus?He posted the letters," James reminded him,

"Remus?"Sirius looked skeptical."Why would he – but – where is he?"

"I don't know."Now it was James' turn to frown."I saw him once yesterday, but he didn't even notice me.He was talking to some girl."

"Same thing the other night," Sirius remembered."That Reesa Darrel he was dancing with at the Starfire Room."

"That's who she was," James agreed. "He seemed rather fascinated by her."

"I'll say."Sirius grinned wickedly."Moony in love, at last.What should we do to make him miserable?"

"Sirius, when we were at school you gave me nothing but grief about Lily,"

"You've got to admit you were pretty sappy over her – you still are – "

"You teased Peter to death the one time he tried to ask a girl out. And now you want to torment Remus… but none of us give you a hard time about Jenny, and we could, you know."

"So you're all decent human beings."Sirius shrugged his shoulder."I've never pretended that I was."

"Look, I'll make you a deal.You leave Remus alone about this Reesa, and I'll find out who changed your letter and why."

Sirius thought for a minute."And you'll help me figure out a way out of this mess?" he added.

"All right – I'll try."

"Fine.It's a deal."

Remus woke to the knocking on his door.He looked at the book he'd been reading before he fell asleep on the sofa.It had fallen to the floor.He picked it up before straightening, yawning, and walking to the door.

James was standing on the steps.He had been leaning an elbow on the door and trying to look in the window; when Remus pulled the door open he almost lost his balance.

"Oh, hello, Remus," he said after catching himself."I was getting worried.It took forever for you to answer."

"I was asleep," Remus said shortly.He opened the door wider and James came in."Er – is there something the matter?"

"Sirius thinks there is."James grinned at him.Remus' heart lurched; _they've found out about Reesa and are worried about me.Don't they think I can look after myself?_

They both sat down; Remus back on the couch he'd just risen from, James in an armchair across from him. "It seems that someone, ah, _improved_ the letter Sirius wrote to Jenny while we were in Romania."James snickered. "I wish I'd seen it; he seemed fairly horrified.Anyway, I thought you might know something about it."

Remus smiled, partly from thinking about the letter and partly because it seemed James didn't know about Reesa yet."What makes you think that?" he asked.

"Because I wasn't the one who changed the letter, Moony."James was trying very hard not to laugh, but finally failed."Oh, you should have seen him!This gets him back for every 'lovesick deer' comment he ever made!"He slapped the arm of his chair to emphasize his words.

"Sure, you didn't change the letter," Remus agreed, laughing himself."But it was your idea!"

"Oh, that's right, so it was."James wore an air of mock puzzlement, rubbing his chin with his hand."I can't imagine how that slipped my mind when I was talking to Sirius."

"So tell me what he said," Remus leaned forward, hands on his knees."Did it go as well as we'd hoped?"

"I'm not sure – but from what he says, Jenny hasn't got a clue and is expecting similar letters next time.He's properly panicked over that one."

"What is he going to do to us when he finds out?" Remus asked, still smiling.He didn't seem too worried about it.

"Oh, I let him think you did it all by yourself."James grinned.

"It was _completely_ your idea!You get at least half the blame.I'd never have thought of anything so – mean."

"Sure, sure.What did you do to it, anyway?You never bothered to tell me."

"Just a Cyrano Charm. Had our friend ever paid attention in class, he might have realised what it was, but there was no danger there."Remus was still grinning, but it faded as James' expression turned graver.

"Ah, Remus, when Lily and I were out on Diagon Alley yesterday afternoon, I thought I saw you there."

"Really?I never saw you," Remus said, rather inanely.

"Not surprising.I think you had more interesting company."James was smiling now."Tell me about her, Remus."When Remus didn't say anything, he urged, "Come on, you can tell me, after all."

"Her name is Reesa Darrel," Remus said slowly."You saw her with me at the Starfire Room that night."

"Yes, so I know she's a wonderful dancer and quite pretty.What else?"

"Her parents were killed by Voldemort.All she has left is an older brother.He works for the Department for Magical Law Enforcement.She went to Beauxbatons, and she's very kind and considerate."Remus was glowing as red as sunset.

"You've spent a lot of time with her over the last few days, then?" James asked slowly.

"Some," Remus admitted."She's wonderful, James.Yesterday we spent the whole day together, just talking.I promised to meet her tonight for dinner, too."

"What else?What is she like, what does she do?"James looked at Remus."Remus, I'm not being nosy, really I'm not.It's just, you're my friend, and if she matters this much to you I want to know her too."

"I want you to meet her, James, you and Lily especially.And Sirius, of course, but I don't know if they'll get along at first.She's rather gentle and – well, you know how Sirius is."Remus shifted a bit uncomfortably in his chair.

"I'll talk to Sirius," James promised grimly. "He'll behave himself when he meets this Reesa of yours."

"She's not my Reesa," Remus protested, glowing still brighter.

"Don't worry, Remus," James said, standing up."We don't have to meet her until you're ready for us to.Now, I'd stick around longer but Lily says she found a house she thinks would be perfect for us and I promised to go with her tonight."

"It's about time for me to get ready anyway," Remus said, standing as well."Ah, thanks, James."

"For what?"James looked genuinely puzzled.

"Just thanks.Oh, and don't tell Sirius the truth about the letter unless I'm there – I want to see."

"Right.See you tomorrow, anyway."

"Yes."

As Remus prepared to go meet Reesa, he found himself wondering about her.Might he be in love?He knew he felt a way about her he'd never felt about any woman.He just liked being with her, liked talking to her.She seemed to like spending time with him, too.

But he knew that if he really did love her he'd have to tell her the truth about himself, soon.After all, he couldn't very well ask her to marry him if she didn't know what he truly was.

Hold on there, Remus, he told himself.You've had a few dates with her and all of a sudden are thinking about _marriage_? Not so fast there.Give it some time.

But when he saw her face light up with a smile as he met her and as the evening flew by with her at his side, he couldn't think of anyone else he'd ever want to marry.

It was late that night when he left her on her doorstep.

"I'm getting another assignment tomorrow," he said.

"I know," Reesa replied."Do you know when you'll get back?"

"I'm afraid not," he said."I'd like to see you when I do, though."

"I'd like that too," she said, but a shadow had crossed behind her eyes."I have a few things now and then that I have to do, though, but if I'm able, yes, I'd love that."

"Good," he said."I'll be looking forward to it."

"Well, goodnight," she said.

"Goodnight."

The next assignment was not as hard as their first, but neither was it as interesting.The Ministry had some brilliant master plan, no doubt, which required the three of them to do a lot of traveling around delivering sealed packages.When Sirius asked an official what exactly they were doing he was brushed off with a noncommittal answer.But it did result in them seeing a lot of different parts of England, including probably every pub patronized by wizards in the country.About half the contacts seemed to spend their entire life in bars.

The first night out, James and Remus confessed to Sirius what had happened to his letter.Sirius was furious.

"How could you?" he asked."Do you know what Jenny is going to do to me when she finds out that I didn't write that letter?Stop laughing!"For the other two were by now howling with mirth.

"Sorry, Sirius," James said, wiping his eyes at last, "but you've got to remember how badly you've gotten us in some of your pranks.Time for a taste of your own potion, I think."

"Look, Sirius, we told you that you really had to improve your letters," Remus said, reasonably."From what you've said, Jenny really liked that letter."

Sirius grinned, remembering something."Yeah, you could say that," he admitted."But how am I supposed to write that sort of stuff?"

"Take a correspondence course," James suggested."How To Write Love Letters In Six Easy Lessons."

"Oh, yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea," Sirius growled."No, I've got it.Since Remus messed me up in the first place, he can just put that spell on every letter."

"I'm afraid that won't work," Remus laughed. "She'd see through it fast enough – that kind of charm never works right for long.No, you'll just have to do it yourself."

From the horrified look on Sirius' face, Remus might have just said that he'd just have to cut off both legs with a dull knife and feed them to the giant squid.

"It's not that bad," James said, trying to cheer Sirius up."I manage, after all."Here Sirius muttered something about 'lovesick' 'brainless' and 'impossible'."Or we could just tell Jenny that Remus really wrote that letter."

"Uh, no."Sirius vetoed this flatly."I'll figure out something."And he stalked out of the bar.James and Remus saw no more of him that night.

When they came down to breakfast, Sirius was sitting at a table, reading a book and occasionally scribbling something.

"What on earth is that?" James asked, sliding into a chair next to him.

"I'm writing a letter," Sirius said, closing the book and trying to hide it.Remus grabbed it.

" 'Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow: Love Letters Throughout the Ages'.Sirius, what _is_ this?"

"Ah, well, I figured that if they were in a book they were probably pretty sappy," Sirius said, snatching the book back."I'm just taking a few lines from each one in case she's read any of the letters before."

"Okay," James said, rolling his eyes."That's cheating, you know."

"Not if I don't get caught."Sirius finished the line he was on and signed it with his typical sloppy scrawl."There.I'll post it before we leave this morning."

James and Remus caught each other's eyes and sighed silently. They had a feeling that Sirius was getting in over his head.But what were they supposed to do?

(present)

Night was the time Voldemort liked best.Darkness hid his deeds and the comings and going of his Death Eaters.At night the Dark Mark could flare across the sky with greatest impact.And darkness was a friend to him, for it made his enemies feel small and afraid.That was how he liked them best.

Wormtail had remained at his side constantly since his rebirth.He wasn't really sure why he kept the little man scurrying around; it might be best just to have him killed on some task.Certainly he was very little use.

Yet his Animagus form could be very useful, very useful indeed.And Voldemort knew that Wormtail, unlike certain other of his servants, would never dare to try to disobey him.Lucius Malfoy, on the other hand, bore watching.Malfoy was strong and cunning, and prideful enough to possibly be thinking that _he_ would make a better Lord.Yet he was still perhaps the most capable of the servants…

But there would be more soon, Voldemort knew.He'd sent emissaries out to many potential allies, human and not. Someday very soon he would rule… someday soon Harry Potter would kneel before him for the last time.

Dumbledore strode through the office of the Minister of Magic and people shrank back.Gone was the sparkle from his eyes, gone was the half-smile from his lips, the air of vague amusement from his demeanor.Now his eyes blazed with fire and anyone who met his gaze felt either afraid or strangely reassured.

"A terrible sight," one person said later.

"Yes, terrible, but wonderful at the same time," someone else said."Like – I don't know.Like nothing I've ever seen before – and I don't reckon I ever want to see it again, even if it was wonderful."

But Cornelius Fudge didn't seem to see anything wonderful in the expression that greeted him.His secretary tried to tell Dumbledore that the Minister was very busy, was not to be disturbed, but he paid her no mind and strode right in.

"Dumbledore," Fudge said miserably from behind his desk.He was rather greenish looking and looked absolutely terrified."I suppose you've heard the news. It's not as bad as it sounds, really, Albus, it's not-"

"You refused to listen to me," Dumbledore said slowly.His words were like stones, dropping slowly and heavily."You did not remove the Dementors from Azkaban when I asked, nor when Ministry officials asked.Now they have done as I told you they would.They have joined Voldemort and taken his supporters with them."

"I – I know Albus, and I'll admit that you were right there.But they haven't taken all the prisoners by any means – and we don't know yet that they've joined He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."Fudge had fallen back on his primary line of defense, blustering.He knew that the Dementors must have joined Voldemort.He just couldn't admit it.

"Where else would they have gone?"Dumbledore's words were like ice now, cold and solid and frightening.Fudge turned an even paler shade of green, gulped, and said,

"We don't really know yet… I suppose you're probably right… but they've left a good deal of the prisoners!"The way he spoke made it sound as if the fact that they had not taken all the prisoners proved he was right to have left them at Azkaban, but his face revealed his true feelings.

"Prisoners who are too far gone to be of use even to Voldemort," Dumbledore stated."They've taken his most dedicated supporters, Fudge.The Lestranges, Dolohov, Travers, Mulciber, Rookwood…all the ones who went to Azkaban rather than renounce him.The ones who specialized in the Unforgivable Curses, who tortured Muggles for pleasure.You've given him back his most loyal servants.Now watch how fast he will rise."

"Dumbledore – please – you've got to help me!"Fudge's face had gone white."When the public gets word of this I'll lose my office for certain!"

"Is that all you can think of?"Dumbledore's eyes had been blazing before; now they seemed to light his whole face with righteous wrath."Is that all?We are facing the worst crisis in years and all you are concerned with is your position?It's not yet too late, I hope, to save our world - but it's too late for you, Cornelius.I warned you before what choices faced you, and you chose not to listen.Now you pay the price."He turned and strode from the room.

"Albus – please – wait!" Fudge called after him, but he did not turn.Fudge sank down into his chair, staring at a stack of papers."What am I going to do?" he muttered to himself."Oh, what can I do?"

Hundreds of miles away in England, it was already past dawn.Sunlight shone down on Number Four Privet Drive, shone right in the window of Harry's room and into his eyes.He yawned, blinked, and stretched, hopping out of bed as soon as he was awake enough.Harry pulled up the loose floorboard and looked at his supply of food; he wanted to have a good breakfast here so that when he went downstairs he could leave half the meager amount of food Aunt Petunia offered him on his plate.This always angered Dudley greatly.

Munching on the last of his chocolate frogs, he got dressed.It was nearly his birthday, his fifteenth birthday.He hadn't heard from any of his friends in ages, it seemed, although Hermione had sent him a letter full of newspaper clippings a week before.Someone was certainly writing about events and issues in a way that seemed reasonable to Harry.He wondered if Dumbledore might not be behind it.Some of the articles called for the removal of Dementors, others asked the Ministry to step up its training program for Aurors and increase the number of Hit Wizards currently employed.From what he had heard, Fudge was ignoring most of those suggestions, just as he had ignored Dumbledore's advice.

As if Harry's thoughts had been a Summoning Charm, Hedwig flew in the window, accompanied by another owl.They held a large box between them which Harry tore open immediately.It was sweets from the Weasleys; mostly Mrs. Weasley's homemade food, but also a few boxes of Harry's favorite wizarding sweets, and a letter from Ron.

_Dear Harry,_

_ _

_Hope the Muggles aren't feeding you too little.Here's some more stuff- the sweets are from Fred and George.They're celebrating because they sold the idea for a few of their minor inventions to Gambol and Japes.Say they're working on more top-secret stuff for their own shop, but the figured they'd see how things sell on the general market._

_ _

_Dad's having very little luck at the Ministry.He went to some top secret meeting ten days ago and won't tell me anything.But Fudge won't listen at all.Dad got about a hundred Ministry officials on that petition of his to get rid of the Dementors, and it had great press coverage – did you see that article?- but Fudge just won't listen._

_ _

_Mum says to cheer up, and that if you've got any problems with the Dursleys she and Dad will come and turn them into bats.Rather a reverse in positions for her, but I told her about how they treat you… I think she'd adopt you if she could!And hopefully you can come and stay with us soon._

_ _

_Let me know how you are,_

_ _

Ron.

He'd also included some news clippings.The first one Harry read was a rather interesting piece which simply asked if the Ministry had really found all the real Death Eaters fourteen years ago. Another was talking about the rights of werewolves and giants.Harry rather hoped Hagrid had seen this one, as it contained lines about 'anyone who has attended Hogwarts in the past few decades will remember Hagrid, the kind, thoughtful, animal-loving gamekeeper who happens to have giant blood in him' and other such phrases.The last article demanded a look at the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, saying it sent people to Azkaban far too easily.'Several people have been sent without a trial' one line read, and 'Perhaps it is time our entire judicial system is reexamined.It is outmoded, outdated, and archaic.'.Harry wondered about the writer – the author was the same on all three pieces, and on most of those Hermione had sent him as well, a woman named 'Silence Dogood'.It was obviously a pseudonym, and Harry wondered who was really writing the articles, and why.

He heard noises from downstairs and reluctantly laid the letter aside.He'd best be going downstairs if he wanted to be in time to annoy Dudley over breakfast.

Minerva McGonagall was not having a good day.First Dumbledore had left to speak to the Minister of Magic about the Dementors.Then about a hundred owls had arrived for him, all of which were now flitting around his study and occasionally getting into fights with Fawkes.Then Snape had come in to tell her to tell Dumbledore that he was 'off as they had discussed', whatever that meant.Hagrid should have been back days ago and wasn't.Madam Pomfrey kept asking questions about whether she should buy an extra-large supply of healing potions, seeing as it looked as if they might come in handy.And now Trelawney was sitting in her office, maundering on about how someone had been playing with her equipment.McGonagall had very little patience for the other woman at the best of times, and now she was simply not in a good mood.

"Who would have broken into your tower?" she asked reasonably."There are no students here, and you surely don't think a teacher?"

"No," Trelawney allowed in her stupid, ethereal voice, passing a hand across her face."No doubt it was an astral spirit come to warn me… I simply wished to know whether you had encountered anything similar recently."

"I don't need astral spirits to warn me of anything," McGonagall said sharply."And if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

But Trelawney had gone white and her eyes stared unseeing across the room.

"Are you all right?" McGonagall asked, getting up and walking over."What's happening?"

Trelawney's mouth opened.

"Greater than before, he has risen. His enemies are divided still, and he works to sow discord among them.Yet the seeds of his defeat are also sown, but whether they shall grow is not yet revealed.The past holds the key to the present, and the present shall shape the future.Beware, for time runs short."

McGonagall stared at Trelawney.She couldn't think of anything to do or say.Suddenly Trelawney sat upright.

"What was that?" she asked. "I don't think I heard your last comment…"

"Ah," McGonagall began."Ah, I have some work to do here, so if you'll just allow me to attend to it…"Trelawney was miffed but left.As soon as she had, McGonagall sat down and wrote out the words she had just heard.She knew Trelawney couldn't see the future – but she also rather thought she knew a genuine prophecy when she heard one.Dumbledore would want to hear about this.

**The plot is thickening, and I almost know where it's going!Yippee!**

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**Let's have proper credit where it's due.J.K. Rowling, as everyone on this planet and maybe a few others knows, thought up Harry Potter on a train, and so whatever's in the books is hers.The other stuff is mostly mine.Thanks to everyone who gave me input on this.**

** **

**I managed to spell 'Durmstrang' wrong last time – thanks for pointing that out, Dr. Cornelius! I blame the sister who had hidden GoF.At least it's right this time.**

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**More coming soon, I promise!**


	6. Default Chapter Title

Sirius and Remus were making good time to Durmstrang when they encountered trouble. The air was empty but for them and the wind didn't bother them much. According to the map they were only about eight miles away when they encountered the barrier.It wasn't a physical barrier, but a mental one.The first sign of it was an increasing sense of tiredness, then of despair.Soon voices seemed to whisper for them to go back, go back, ahead lay only death….It was hard to fight; both began to feel a sense of hopelessness and lethargy.Remus caught himself, literally, as he lost his grip on his broom and pitched forward.It was only by his swift reflexes that he was able to keep from hurtling a thousand feet to his death.Obviously, they could not continue this way. They landed their brooms near a mountain lake.

"Something is trying to stop us getting there," Remus said grimly."Perhaps it's time we went on foot."

"We'd have had to come down soon anyway," Sirius said, looking at the sun.It had almost set – and the moon hanging already in the sky was full and round."Remus, do you think we could press on after moonrise?"

"You know I've taken the Wolfsbane Potion," Remus said shortly. " Of course we can keep on, if you can."

"It looks rather difficult." Sirius looked off into the distance.The land was steep and rocky.Very few plants grew, and the way ahead was along the side of a mountain."Still, you as a wolf and me as a dog… we can manage it."

"If we can manage to carry my clothes and wand," Remus said firmly."I don't want to show up at Durmstrang naked."

"Of course."Sirius opened the pack of food."Let's eat before we go."

Before the moon rose, Remus bundled his clothes into his cloak.He stood shivering in the gathering dusk until Sirius put a Warming Charm on him.Then Sirius transformed and Remus fastened the bundle to him securely.The dog and the man both sat down to wait, anxiously, for the moon to rise.

A few minutes after moonrise, two dark, four-legged shapes hurtled toward Durmstrang together.Sirius led the way; in his dog form he was less affected by the feeling of despair that hung palpably in the air. Remus' mind was intact, and he felt the despair, but his elation at being in wolf form without having the wolf mind was enough to counter it.

They made their way quickly at first, then more slowly as the land grew more and more treacherous.The plant life died away altogether, except for hard moss and lichens that clung to the side of the cliffs.It took them most of the night to go the few miles left, but when the sun rose they looked down on a dark castle, in human form once more.It was smaller than Hogwarts, and looked grimmer, but it was the end of their trip, and so it was as welcome as the end of a long day.

"Sirius," Remus asked as they walked toward the castle, "did you smell anything odd last night?"

"Yeah, you.Do all werewolves stink as much as you do?"

"Sirius, please. There was something…"

"I didn't notice," Sirius replied."And our senses are about the same, right?"

"I suppose."But it still occupied Remus' mind as they hurried forward.

While still a ways from the castle, they saw a slim figure hurrying toward the gates.

"Wonder who that was?" Remus said."I wouldn't like to spend a night outside here."

"Didn't Krum say something about a werewolf teaching here?"Sirius looked at his friend. "Maybe that was her."

"Could be."It had been many years since Remus had seen any of his kind; most had left England for wilder country.

They walked up to the great gates and knocked.After a moment they swung forward on their own.

"Well," Sirius said, "Shall we?"And he led the way into Durmstrang.

Severus Snape was afraid.He didn't show it.He rarely showed his fear, hiding behind a mask of anger or hatred.Here such a mask would be deadly, but he managed to keep his feelings from his face nevertheless.

Anyone would be afraid in his place.He was standing before Voldemort and the dark lord was giving him commands.If Voldemort discovered that he was working for Dumbledore, he would die slowly and painfully.Yet if he did not do what he could to thwart Voldemort's plans, innocent people would die instead.

The Dark Mark had appeared twice in the past week, and five lives had been taken. People were frightened to leave their homes, more frightened to be alone.It was as if the fourteen years of peace had never happened.No; it was worse, for now the Dementors had joined Voldemort, something that had not happened before, and that fear added to all the others was just too much for many people.

"Tell me what is happening at Hogwarts." Voldemort's command was bone-chilling, and Snape wanted nothing more than to leave.But he couldn't.

"Dumbledore – Dumbledore is in constant conference with top Ministry officials now.They want him to take on the post of Minister of Magic."

"Will he?" Voldemort asked.

"He hasn't said yet."Snape knew that Dumbledore was for once not sure what he should do.He was torn between loyalty to Hogwarts, which would certainly be a target for attack, and his duty to wizards in general.

"You shall encourage him to take the post," Voldemort declared. "Then my other agents shall make sure you become the new Headmaster.When I have conquered, you will be in total charge of the school – and you shall teach who and what I command."

"Yes, lord," Snape said, bowing.It seemed to be called for at the moment.

"But first, before school begins, I have a mission for you."The red eyes staring from a dark face fixed Snape with a baleful gaze."I have decided that Harry Potter is too great a threat, not because he is dangerous to me in some way, but because he is a symbol.If we take out their hero, their golden icon around which they rally, that will deal them a blow they will not shake off."The eyes narrowed."I have set plans into motion to deliver Potter into my hands.You need not know them.You job is simply to kill Sirius Black."

"Sirius Black?" Snape asked."He – no one knows where he is."

"You think I do not know that? But he will return, and when he does he must be killed, along with anyone else who might protect Potter."

"Yes, master," Snape said.He bowed his head.

"You are dismissed."

Snape had be so eager to leave Voldemort only once before, many years ago… the night he had left Voldemort's service forever.

For some people certain choices seem inevitable.Some young men follow their fathers into the family business without ever considering another option.People join a religious sect because everyone they know has done so, so there must be something to it.Others make more foolish choices; every day people commit suicide because they feel it's their only option.

Severus Snape became a Death Eater mostly because of a combination of such factors.It seemed all his friends had become Death Eaters.They didn't speak of it, but he knew.He had been a Slytherin, one of the best students of his year.Voldemort's supporters courted him, praising his skills and appealing to his considerable ego.

And at the time he was extremely depressed.He'd made the mistake of his life, he thought, when he'd allowed himself to fall in love with Lily.She'd never as much as looked at him, and he knew that she and James were engaged now.Perhaps that was something else that pushed him to his decision; he knew that James Potter and his friends would surely oppose Voldemort.And that might mean he'd have a chance to avenge himself…

But whatever the reason, he found himself standing before Voldemort about four months after he'd graduated, feeling scared yet proud.He could see other Death Eaters, and though he did not know most of them, he could feel, just from the way they held themselves, that many of them were very important men.

Voldemort looked at him through thin red eyes."You know, of course, that once you join me there is no going back?"

Snape nodded, his mouth dry.

"Then give me your arm."Snape was slow to obey, but Voldemort reached out a long-fingered hand and grabbed his left arm, baring it to the shoulder.His wand touched the skin lightly.

"Now, this could be thought of as a test," he hissed quietly, so that only Snape could hear."I judge you on how well you do here, you know… and if you do badly, you die."He smiled cruelly.The tip of his wand was cool on Snape's skin, but Voldemort whispered a word and it began to glow.Sudden pain began to blossom from the point where the wand touched his arm.It wasn't too terrible, not as bad as the time Black had spilled a Scouring Solution on him in Potions class.

But the pain got worse; he bit his lip so as not to cry out, turning away so that he would not have to watch the wand eating away at his arm.It felt as if a hole was being drilled into him with acid.His other hand was curled into a fist, and he could feel blood beneath his nails, he was clenching so hard.He was going to cry out at the pain, but he remembered Voldemort's words and knew he could not, knew at that moment that if he cried out, he would die.

His mind searched for something, anything, to take his mind off the pain.Faces whirled past his now shut eyes, faces of people he had known.His mother and father, his friends from school… thinking about them did not help.Then other faces.Potter.Lupin.Black.How he hated them, for he could see them sneering at him as they had always sneered at him.He gave his whole awareness to hating them, the hate that should be directed at the one who was hurting him but was instead directed to a safer target…

And then the pain stopped.Snape gasped for breath and opened his eyes.Voldemort was staring down at him – somehow he had sunk to his knees during the ordeal.

"Now you are one of mine," he said coldly, and Snape looked at his left arm.The Dark Mark stood out against his skin, which was red and puckered around it.It had the look of a half-healed burn."That will never come off," Voldemort said softly."Nor may your loyalty to me ever waver.The moment it does, I shall know.And I shall destroy you."He turned then, carelessly, and walked a few paces off.Snape just remained where he was, staring at the brand, and thinking how much he hated Potter, Black, and Lupin.

Would it have cheered him to know that his enemies were at that moment battling for their lives against some of his friends?For two hundred miles off, in London, the three young Aurors were in serious trouble.

It had seemed forever to them before James, Sirius and Remus were given a change of assignment.They were at last to do something mildly interesting; the Ministry had detected a spy and they were to help try to identify him.

"We've caught the contact he's been reporting to, but unfortunately he cannot reveal anything to us," the official who briefed them had said.They knew that this meant, most likely, that whoever it was was dead."We do know that he's to report to this contact around midnight tonight.You three will be waiting for him.Don't think that we're giving this job all to you; we've got a squad of Hit Wizards positioned outside the building where you are to meet.But someone higher up thinks you're ready to try a harder task – and you can't screw this one up too badly."

" 'We can't screw this one up too badly,'" Sirius mocked once they'd left."Honestly, that idiot is just too full of himself.I think we're going to have to catch this spy single-handed just to show them."

"You've got to admit it's a bit reassuring, though," Remus said, "knowing that there's someone there to back us up."

"Blast."James stopped dead in the middle of the street."We've got to let the girls know we won't be able to make it tonight."

"Oh, right," Remus agreed."And I'd been looking forward to introducing you all to Reesa, too."

"I can't wait to meet her," James said."Maybe over the weekend.See what she thinks, okay?"

"Right," Remus agreed."If you don't mind, I'll go and write her a note, explaining, now."He set off quickly.James and Sirius watched him go.

"You know, Jenny was telling me she thought she'd seen Reesa somewhere before," Sirius commented."But she couldn't remember where.Said there was something funny about her, though."

"Funny?" James asked."Did she meet her?"

"Both Lily and Jenny called on Reesa last week," Sirius said, grinning."You mean there's something Lily hasn't told you?"

"I haven't had many chances to talk to her recently," James said, frowning."What did Jenny say?"

"Just said she thinks there's something odd about Reesa… that she seems not quite real, somehow."

"Well, Remus doesn't seem to think so," James pointed out."Come on; if we hurry we can catch the girls as they leave work."

Jenny and Lily worked in different departments that were housed in the same building, and they usually left together; James and Sirius were hoping that today was no different.At five after five, they saw the girls exit together.

"James!" Lily said as they crossed the street."What are you doing here?"

"Sirius, I really hope you're not planning to go for dinner looking like that," Jenny said, looking at his robes, which he had torn yesterday while traveling and forgotten to mend.

"Ah, that's why we're here," James said."I'm afraid something's come up and we're going to have to cancel our date tonight."

"What's happened?" Lily asked concern in her eyes."Anything wrong? I mean, anything to do with Voldemort?"

"No," James assured her."Just work.They've got something for us to do."

"And you couldn't ask to put it off?" Jenny asked.Her eyes weren't full of concern; they were rather angry."We haven't seen you in ages!"

"I know," James sighed."But no, we have to do this tonight."

"We'll make it up," Sirius promised."This weekend, maybe."

There was a rather uncomfortable break in the conversation.Then Jenny looked thoughtful.

"I'm disappointed, of course," she said, "especially since I really wanted to hear what you have to think of that Reesa."Her voice held a curious note.

"What about her?" Sirius asked.

"She – I just don't like her," Jenny said firmly."I don't think she's telling the truth about something."

"Jenny, you're too suspicious sometimes," Lily said mildly."I didn't think there was anything odd about her, did I?"

"That's just because you always see the good side of everyone.Even people who don't have good sides, like Snape."

James laughed."She's got you there, Lily.I'm afraid I have to agree with that."

"Just don't say anything to Remus about it," Jenny asked."I mean, all right, so I'm being too suspicious here… and I don't want Remus to be upset."

"All right," Sirius agreed. "We'd best be going, James.It's almost time for us to get to – ah, well, anyway we have to go."

"We'll tell you all about it when we can," James promised."Maybe this weekend, like I said."

"All right," they chorused together, grinning at each other as they did so.

"Take care of yourself," Lily told James, kissing him.

"And try not to be heroic or anything," Jenny instructed Sirius."I'd rather have you alive than in heroic pieces."She smiled and kissed him too, then they started off in opposite directions.

The room where they were supposed to meet the contact was in Knockturn Alley.They'd been down it once or twice during the day, but never at night, and at night it seemed far worse.Dimly lit shop windows were like eyes, watching them.Dingy witches and wizards in shabby robes hurried past, never making eye contact.A general sense of uneasy pervaded the place, and the three wizards kept close together for moral support.

"This is the place," James said at last, pulling out a key and unlocking a door."Sirius, what time is it?"

"Only ten thirty," Sirius said after a moment."We've got forever."

"Let's see what's in here, then."The room was pitch dark; three wands lit simultaneously and reveled a very shabby place.There was a wooden table and five chairs, none of which matched, a bare floor covered in dust, three lamps, and nothing else.James grimaced.

"Well, we might as well make ourselves at home.We've got a long wait ahead of us."He lit the lamps and extinguished his wand, seized a chair and pulled it up to the table, which, he noticed, was lopsided.

"This is not quite how I pictured this evening going," Sirius said as he too took a chair."Ah well, at least I'm prepared."He pulled out a deck of cards."Exploding Snap?"

They passed the first hour this way, but around eleven thirty the game just dropped off.They kept stealing looks at the door and Sirius checked his watch continuously. 

At five to midnight James rose from his chair and began to pace the room.His wand was out and he looked ready for anything.Sirius had his wand in hand as well and Remus' lay on the table in easy grabbing range.

Midnight came and passed.Five after.Ten after. No one spoke.

Finally, at twenty after midnight, Sirius gave voice to what everyone was thinking.

"Maybe he's not coming, maybe somehow he found out about the trap."

As if his words were a signal, the door burst open.As it did, the lights went out, leaving the room in total darkness.

"Stupefy!" at least five voices yelled, and beams of red light came darting across the room.Then the lights came back on, to reveal five black-clad figures standing in the room – and three wizards sprawled on the floor.The lead figure put his wand into his belt and approached James, who was closest.He was bending over James' body when – 

"Stupefy!"James suddenly shoved his wand in the man's face.

"Expelliarmus!" Sirius and Remus yelled together, jumping to their feet.All three had thrown themselves to the ground as soon as the lights had gone out, just as they had been taught in training.James' target keeled over, Stunned, but Sirius and Remus had gone for the same man.He had been knocked unconscious as well, but there were still three other enemies left, all in possession of their wands.One threw a hex at James, who blocked it easily; Sirius returned the favor but missed, scorching a hole on the wall.Remus used a curse he'd learned while studying up on how to defeat Grindylows; the man was blasted off his feet and slumped senseless to the ground.Meanwhile, James and Sirius finished off a fourth man together, but the fifth, seeing that he was now outnumbered, made a dash for the door and escaped into the night.

James hurried to the door and peered out."I can't see anyone," he said."Where are those Hit Wizards anyway?"By this time Sirius and Remus had bound the four unconscious men tightly and levitated them.

"Let's get them to the Ministry offices now," Remus suggested."Then we can work out just what happened."

(present)

"Professor Dumbledore, you must help us!"The man who was speaking looked desperate."We would have had a hard time even if You-Know-Who wasn't coming back, what with two of our department heads vanishing.But now, after these last deaths, and Fudge disappearing – you have to help!"

"Mr. Patil, please calm yourself and tell me exactly what has happened."Dumbledore smiled benignly at the man, who took a deep breath and began again.

"Minister Fudge has been acting erratically ever since the Dementors left, but this morning he didn't show up at all.We sent someone to his home around midday, and he wasn't there.He left signs of a hurried departure, though, and several bags of Galleons from the Ministry are also missing.We've got Croaker from the Department of Mysteries looking into it now, but you know how Unspeakables are, it could take weeks to find out… and I don't suppose we'd want him leading us after this, anyway."

"Is there no one else capable of taking command?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"No one that we can agree on… of course, Lucius Malfoy and some of his friends didn't want you, but some of us reminded him that he didn't want the public thinking he was helping You-Know-Who in any way, not after the way he was under the Imperius Curse last time, so he agreed."

Dumbledore seemed to be thinking for a long time.Then he said, "Mr. Patil, you will please ask the heads of all the departments to be waiting for me at the Ministry, tomorrow at ten o'clock."

"Yes, sir."Mr. Patil nodded his head and left.Dumbledore waited five minutes, and then summoned Snape and McGonagall.He explained what Patil had told him.

"Then you'll be taking over the Ministry?" McGonagall asked."Well, I suppose you must."She did not seem to entirely approve of this; there was an unspoken question in her voice.

"I will not abandon Hogwarts," Dumbledore said mildly.

"But you must control the Ministry," Snape said."The incompetents there have already landed us in trouble; if you leave them alone they'll ruin things completely."

"I have more faith in people than you do, Severus," Dumbledore said, fixing Snape with his customary half-smile."But I do agree with you that someone must lead them.I simply said I was not going to abandon Hogwarts, nor am I.I shall simply divide my time between each."He held up a hand to stop their comments."Of course, that means I will be relying on the two of you a great deal once term begins.I know you are more than capable of the task, or I would not be giving it to you."

"Of course, Albus," McGonagall said.But Snape looked grim."May I speak to you alone?" he asked.Dumbledore nodded.

"If you would excuse us, Minerva…" She gave them a curious look but left the room."Now, Severus, there was something you wanted to say?"

"Yes.As you know, I met with Voldemort last night."He made a grimace at the name, but Dumbledore did not react."He –gave me instructions."

"And they are?" Dumbledore prompted, for Snape had fallen silent.His face looked harder than it usually did.

"First, to encourage you to take over the Ministry.I don't know why he wanted you to, but I think that you really should do the job, whatever it is _he_ wants."

"I have made my decision," Dumbledore reminded him, "and it has not changed."

"Yes, of course."

"And was there anything else?"

"Yes."Here again Snape paused."He wants Potter dead."

"He's wanted that a long while," Dumbledore said ruefully."Fortunately he's not had too much success so far."

"He's determined to succeed this time.I don't know what his plan is, but he has ordered me to – to kill Sirius Black."The last four words came in a rush.Then he stared at Dumbledore, black eyes piercing blue.Dumbledore was not the first to look away.

"We must try to discover a way to make sure you fail him without it jeopardizing your status," Dumbledore remarked."Since of course you will not be killing Sirius.It is unfortunate that I need him, or I would simply tell him not to return."

"You are not concerned about Potter's safety, then?"

"I have taken precautions to ensure his safety.I concede, however, that Voldemort may have found a way around them.From the Ministry I will be able to strengthen Harry's protections."He smiled. " And I think I know someone who would be willing to help look out for Harry unofficially."He stood up."Now, Severus, I for one am going to bed.We'll worry about things tomorrow; that's always a better time for them anyway."And he smiled vaguely at Snape and opened the door of his office. "I suggest you get a good night's rest too."

Number Six Privet Drive had been for sale for about six months, but seemingly overnight someone moved in.Harry didn't know who his new neighbors were, because the Dursleys didn't like him going outside, and he didn't really care, because most of the people in the neighborhood were vaguely Dursley-ish, or they were like Mrs. Figg.Aunt Petunia, however, was thrilled to have a new target for her spying, and monopolized dinner conversation with her news.

"There's only one," she said, looking disappointed – no doubt she'd been hoping for a nice big family with plenty of nasty children and marital problems for her to gossip about."A woman.Probably around our age, Vernon.I can't see anything odd about her, but the shades are down in most of the rooms.She could be hiding something."

Harry had a sudden vision of Aunt Petunia peering in windows, and using his Firebolt to spy in the top ones.This was so ridiculous he almost choked with suppressed laughter.

"I looked in one room though and there was a huge mass of odd plants.Do you suppose she could be growing illegal drugs, Vernon?If she was, I'd have to notify the police." Her face lit up; apparently the idea of her being some sort of hero delighted her."I'd best keep an eye on her."Of course she'd do that anyway, Harry knew; she just liked having an excuse."Maybe she's one of that gang that was in the papers the other day.You know, Vernon?The one they said just came in from Germany or somewhere?"Uncle Vernon grunted."There was a woman with that gang, I think.Maybe it's the same one.Are they in the evening paper, Vernon?"He grunted again and handed her a section of newspaper."Ah, yes!Says they may be armed and are very dangerous, and the public is to avoid them at all costs."She spread the paper out wide, right into Harry's meager plate of cottage cheese.He sighed and moved a bit, but his eyes fell on a name that froze his blood: Lestrange.

He did his best to scan the article sideways, but couldn't make out much of it.He did see some other names, though, names he knew he'd heard before.Names of Death Eaters who had been locked in Azkaban, and who were apparently locked no longer.

"Excuse me," Harry mumbled, getting up."I'm going upstairs now."None of his relatives as much as glanced at him.

As he had hoped, Hedwig was in her cage when he got to his room, her leg bearing a fat letter with Hermione's writing on it.He ripped it open and about six newspaper clippings fell out.The first he picked up told the whole story; the Dementors had left Azkaban and taken many prisoners with them, just as Dumbledore had warned.

Hermione's letter sounded very worried.She begged Harry to be careful, to stay with the Dursleys, and not to do anything foolish."I'll send you more food, if you need it, but please don't try to leave.You know Dumbledore thinks you're safe there, and these people are really dangerous."

No doubt Pig would show up tomorrow bearing similar warnings from Ron, Harry thought gloomily.It was his birthday tomorrow, but other than a quick 'Happy Birthday' scrawled at the bottom of Hermione's letter he'd had no greetings, let alone gifts.

Harry didn't think it likely that his new neighbor was one of the escaped prisoners, but he still thought it would be a good idea to get a look at her.So the next afternoon he went out to the garden with one of his spellbooks, the one for Herbology.He could always pass that off as a Muggle thing if he tried hard enough.Aunt Petunia had taken Dudley to London to see a specialist about his diet, and Uncle Vernon was at work, so Harry had the place to himself.It was, therefore, better than most of his birthdays had been.

To his disappointment his neighbor seemed to be inside, so he sat down and began to study.Time passed.

"Good afternoon," came a friendly voice.He jumped a bit, turned, and saw a dark-haired woman, about Aunt Petunia's age, as she had said.Immediately he felt sure that she'd never been to Azkaban; her eyes were too alive, compared to Sirius'.

"Er, hello," he said.She seemed to be staring at him, her eyes fixed on his."Nice day, isn't it?"

"Yes," she agreed."Lovely day for a birthday, I'd say."

"How did you know it's my birthday?" he asked suspiciously.

"I know a lot more about you than you think, Harry.For now, let's just say I'm a friend."Seeing that his gaze did not grow any more friendly, she added, "Dumbledore sent me, you see.He's worried about you since Voldemort's supporters escaped."

Harry gaped at her.She must have noticed, for she continued, "Surely you aren't afraid of his name?"

"Ah, no," he said quickly, "but most people are."

"And neither of us are most people, are we?"

"Who are you?" he asked finally."And how do you know so much about me?"

"I knew your parents," she said."And I'm not going to tell you more than that right now, because it would take more time than we have right now.Just listen to me.Do not leave the house – well, you can come into the garden, but don't leave the property until it's time to go to school.We'll worry about that then.If you get letters and you don't know who sent them, burn them without opening.And put this over your door and any windows in your room."She handed him a bunch of some sort of dried plants.

"What are they?" he asked, staring at them.

"Some general anti-Dark plants, mostly.Holly, for one, and there's some garlic too.It might not help, but it's best to be prepared.Sorry, no aconite; you'll have to deal with any werewolves yourself."She smiled at him."I know you can't trust me yet, but please listen and be careful."

"I'm not a baby," he said fiercely."I can look after myself, you know."For some reason, she laughed.Harry opened his mouth angrily.

"Oh, no, I wasn't laughing at you," she said, holding up a hand."I'm sure your father would have said about the same thing.And no, you're not a baby, but Voldemort's no laughing matter.And I'm sure you know I'm right."She turned then and began to return to her house.Harry stared at the bundle of plants in his hand.

"Who are you?" he called after her again.She didn't turn around.

"You can call me Jenny," she said, and went in.

That was a lot of help; he'd never met anyone named Jenny, and he didn't know who she might be.Sighing, he went back inside.He wasn't sure that he trusted this mysterious woman, but she was probably right.And he did recognize a few of the plants from Herbology, and they were all effective against Dark forces.He hung most of the bundle over his door and put the rest on the window.Then he noticed that the snowy owl asleep in Hedwig's cage was not Hedwig.The strange owl also had a parcel around his leg.He pulled it off and looked at it.It was addressed to him, and it was from the Weasleys.Grinning, he opened it.Ron had sent him a birthday card full of warnings, but also full of news.

"Pig was just too small to carry this, and Errol died last month, and Percy's using Hermes for work, so I sent it through the local Owl Post Office.Hope you like it!

"Dad's been really busy, and Perce has stopped talking about his work at all, just looking important.Which probably means he's now regulating cloak lengths or something equally urgent.But Bill's staying here now, and he goes out at strange hours and comes home days alter, sometimes, and Charlie's been up to see the Ministry several times this month. Things are happening, Harry, and I wish we knew what they were.

"Mum still says you have to stay at the Dursleys' for a while.She said to tell you 'We'd love to have you, dear, but Dumbledore doesn't think it's wise right now.If you need anything though write at once, and be careful.'That's her exact words.Bill and Charlie have offered to fly up on a dragon if need be – of course they're joking, even Fred and George wouldn't do anything that illegal. 

"Well, see you at King's Cross if not before! 

"Ron."

Harry stared at the letter and sighed.He'd been afraid Ron would say to be careful.Everyone said the same thing.And unfortunately he knew they were all right.

What had the Weasleys sent him?He looked into the box.It was rather full of chocolate frogs and Every Flavor Beans, with Mrs. Weasley's homemade goodies and a chocolate cake near the bottom.Ginny had sent him a card – like the one she had made him when he'd been in the hospital wing, it sang – and there was a book of great Quidditch plays that he opened at once to see the pictures of famous players diving after Snitches, dodging Bludgers, and executing impressive saves.He spent the rest of the afternoon reading and almost forgot about all the warnings he had received.

The next day, Uncle Vernon ripped open a letter, looked at it, and turned white.He shoved it at Aunt Petunia who read it and screamed.She dropped the letter as if it were corrosive, grabbed Dudley, and pulled him out of the room.Harry snatched up the letter.It bore only one line: _We are watching you. Beware._It was written on parchment and obviously with a quill.

"Is this something of your doing, boy?" Uncle Vernon asked, rounding on Harry, his great shiny face red with anger.

"No," Harry said.He saw the envelope in Uncle Vernon's hand.Instead of a return address, it bore a strange mark that he couldn't quite make out.But Uncle Vernon shoved it under his nose.

"What's this supposed to mean, boy?"Harry's jaw dropped.

"The Dark Mark!" he exclaimed.

"What nonsense is that?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"It's – the wizard who killed my parents, that's his sign." Harry spoke very rapidly before Uncle Vernon could become angry about what he was saying."I don't know who's writing to you, but I think it's a bad sign."

"Is one of your _friends_ playing a bad joke on us?" he asked, sneering."Like your mother's friends did?"

Harry would have given a lot to know what he was referring to.It sounded like something Sirius might have dreamed up.

"No."Uncle Vernon looked as if he needed more persuading."Ah, most wizards are afraid of that, and certainly none would put that on a letter."

"So who sent it?"His red face got somehow still more red, and though he spoke quietly he reminded Harry of a volcano that might exploded at any minute.

"Voldemort, I guess."Harry shrugged.Inside he didn't feel calm, but he kept his composure and let Uncle Vernon lose his own.

"He's after you?" The red was being replaced by white; Harry was sure that Uncle Vernon knew something about Voldemort, he just wasn't sure how much.Or it might just be his general fear of wizards that made him look around quickly as if expecting Voldemort to be staring in the window at them.

"Probably.He's been trying to kill me for years, you know."At least he was safe while he was here.Voldemort couldn't get him, he'd said so himself. 

Uncle Vernon left the room, looking both angry and scared.Harry shrugged and finished eating, then went upstairs to read.

He was interrupted around mid-morning by a banging from downstairs.Curious, he went down and saw a workman in the hall, installing a security system, while Uncle Vernon stood over him.

"Are you sure this will tell me if anyone so much as sets foot on the property?" he asked anxiously.

"That's what the infra-red sensors are for.And if anyone opens a door or window while the alarm is engaged, the siren goes off and the police are notified."

"Good, good."Uncle Vernon was pacing up and down the hall, looking very upset.Harry hurried back to his bedroom, avoiding his gaze.

He wished he could tell someone about that letter, but Ron and Hermione would no doubt panic, and he hadn't heard from Sirius in weeks.He hadn't even sent a birthday card.So Harry just sat down on his bed and read more Quidditch.

The next day, another letter came bearing the Dark Mark.Uncle Vernon ceremoniously burnt it, holding it by an edge and watching the flames eat the envelope.He held on a minute too long and burned a finger, though.Then he left the house.

He returned several hours later, his car full of canned food, and had Harry carry it all down to the basement and stack it in piles.Then Uncle Vernon locked the doors and turned on the security system.Dudley was so frightened by this, and by his father's grim expression, that he hid under his bed. Uncle Vernon hadn't remembered to have Harry's window hooked up to the system, so Harry opened it and let a cool evening breeze soothe his face.He wondered just where all his friends were now.

Sirius and Remus were eating dinner at Durmstrang with Headmaster Acimovic.They'd been warmly received, and the new Headmaster had insisted on showing them the castle and grounds.The feelings of despair that had stopped them from flying in were a new part of the castle's defenses, Acimovic explained, one which he had neglected to tell Dumbledore about.

"Doubtless that is what stopped your owls," he said in his flawless though accented English."I had not realised that it prevented birds as well as people from flying through.I shall modify it to make sure owls can get through.Of course I can drop it for a few hours to let you leave tomorrow when you go."

"Thanks," Sirius said.He'd been envisioning the trip back through the wild countryside with some distaste.He might not have much trouble, but Remus couldn't transform at will.

"Do not mention it," the headmaster assured him. "I will give you a message to take back to Dumbledore.Make sure he knows that he can count on us."

Remus was rather disappointed that they did not meet the staff; he'd been hoping to speak with the Herbology teacher – the werewolf.Perhaps another time, when the need to return was less urgent, he could come back here and speak to her.But the next morning they started off around dawn, bearing the letter for Dumbledore with them.

"Three days and we'll be home," Sirius said optimistically."Then maybe we can convince Dumbledore to let us hunt down Wormtail."

"I just hope everything's fine back there," Remus worried. "Anything could have happened, you know.We haven't heard a word."

"I'm sure everything's fine," Sirius reassured his friend."We'll get home and you'll see."

**Famous last words and all that!**

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**Of course JK owns everything that she thought up.More to come soon, I hope – let me know what you think, please.Plenty of thanks to Blaise for beta-ing this for me.**

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**KB**


	7. Default Chapter Title

Aurors Part VII

This part starts in the past, then goes to the future.

The Ministry seemed to be incredibly busy for such an hour of the night.Officials barely glanced at James, Sirius, and Remus as they hauled their unconscious prisoners in.James grabbed a passing warlock.

"What's going on?" he asked.The warlock didn't seem to realize what James was asking for a minute.

"Big raid, they're just coming in now.Said they've got prisoners."

"Hey, we've got prisoners," Sirius said, but it was no use; the man had escaped James' grip and rushed off.

"Where did these come from?" another wizard asked.Sirius recognized him at once; Cornelius Fudge, who worked in Jenny's department.He'd had a hard time with the little man once when he came to get Jenny a few minutes early from work, but now perhaps Fudge could be useful.

"Mr. Fudge, we were supposed to be ambushing an agent, but a half-dozen Death Eaters showed up.We captured these and brought them in."Sirius prodded the nearest with his toe; the man did not move.

"Yes, yes.We're quite busy now, but we'll get to you in a minute."

"But these are Death Eaters!" James said sharply."Shouldn't someone here be responsible for questioning them or putting them in a cell somewhere?"

"I'm sorry, that's not my job, and I really must go, they need me desperately over there-"

"Sod it!No wonder Voldemort is beating us, if this is the best we can do!"Sirius looked very mad and his words had been quite loud; several nearby wizards gasped and a witch dropped the stack of papers she was carrying.

"Mr. – ah,"

"Black.Sirius Black."Sirius spoke slowly so that Fudge could not mistake his name.

"Mr. Black, such talk does not help and borders on treasonous!Men have been investigated for less!"

"Let them investigate me then, I don't care, just have them investigate these gits first."James and Remus looked at each other.Sirius was in top form now and if they didn't stop him he was liable to wind up punching Fudge right there.

"Sirius, let him get on with his job," James said."I'm sure it's important."Fudge seemed to miss the sarcasm and headed off, looking relieved.

"Why did you stop me, I was just getting started," Sirius growled, staring after Fudge.But a distraction occurred just then that took their minds off the little man and his bumblings.

A dozen Hit Wizards along with two men the boys recognized as skilled Aurors had just Apparated into the room, accompanied by four bound figures.Three were men the boys did not know; the fourth, however, was a woman.Remus gasped.

"Reesa!" he exclaimed, and would have started forward, but James grabbed his arm.

"Wait, we need to see what's going on," he muttered.

"I don't care, they've got her and they shouldn't!" he replied, shaking James off and rushing at the Hit Wizards.He had his wand out and seemed about to yell a spell.The Hit Wizards had their wands out too, and James knew who would come off the worst in such an exchange.

"_Stupefy_!" he yelled, pointing his wand at Remus, who slumped into a heap instantly.Sirius was already halfway across the room; he hurried over and bent over their friend.

"What do you think happened?" James asked, crossing to Sirius.

"I don't know."Sirius looked shaken."But I saw his face, just before you stunned him, and his eyes – and it wasn't Remus, James.I don't know what happened, but it wasn't him."

"I think I know what happened," James said grimly."It was that Reesa.I've remembered about her now; my father knew hers somewhat.Her mother was a Siren.She must have had a spell on Remus, she must be working for Voldemort."

"What is Moony going to say when he wakes up and finds out?" Sirius asked."I don't think he'll be very happy."

"I don't know, Sirius," James shook his head.

"What do you mean, a Death Eater?" Remus stared from James to Sirius and back."How could she be?"

"She admitted it before about half the Ministry, Remus.She also admitted to bewitching you.And several other men, so don't think you were the only one."James looked unhappy."I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it's true."

"You mean she was just trying to use me?"Remus looked miserable as well."I don't understand."

"Can you remember what you told her this evening?" James asked. "Did you mention what we were going to do?"

"Why would I do that?" Remus was indignant."I know better than that!"

"Think, Moony," Sirius said firmly."Think about what happened."

"I can't – no, wait!"He looked up suddenly."I did tell her!I knew I shouldn't but I did.And the first time I met her I told her all sorts of stuff.I never even suspected her of bewitching me."

"Of course you didn't."James was looking sympathetic now; he put a hand on Remus' shoulder."Remus, we knew it was a bit out of character for you to fall in love with someone so fast, but, well, we didn't think anything was wrong."

"How many others?" Remus asked."How many other men did she – bewitch?"

"I think three," James said."Apparently you were the only Auror.Most of them are older, more experienced than we are…probably carry around charms to ward off friendly girls."He tried to smile but it died halfway across his face."From what I've heard she was trying to get inside information.Fortunately we don't have much."

"We're both sorry for you," Sirius said, putting a hand on Remus' shoulder in an unusually gentle way.

"Can I just be alone for a while?" Remus asked."I want to think."They hesitated, looking at him."Go on, I'm not going to throw myself out a window or anything.No Siren is worth that."He managed a small half-smile, and they nodded and left.

(present)

Uncle Vernon's behavior was growing more erratic.An owl had arrived and dumped a letter on his head – it had somehow flown down the chimney.The letter had borne the Dark Mark again.It said simply, _We are coming_.This seemed to galvanize Uncle Vernon to action.While Harry washed the breakfast dishes, he and Aunt Petunia sat with their heads together whispering.After Harry came in from taking out the garbage, Uncle Vernon spoke to him, a trifle nervously.

"Ah, we're going on vacation.Today.To, er, Australia."

"Are we?"Harry looked as uninterested as he could.

"Well, we are.You're staying here.We don't have enough money to take you."He turned and ran off toward his bedroom, where Aunt Petunia was frantically searching for socks.

Harry just stood there, mouth hanging open.He'd always known the Dursleys hated him, but he'd never thought they'd do this – run off and leave him to face an evil wizard alone. What was he to do?With the Dursleys gone, he wouldn't be safe from Voldemort on Privet Drive any longer.

He could write to the Weasleys – but it would take time for the letter to get there, and he'd be alone for that time.Not that he was worried about being alone; still, he didn't want to have to face Voldemort.He could write to Dumbledore – but he didn't know where Dumbledore was or what he was doing.He hadn't heard from Sirius in ages, it seemed.So what was he to do?He couldn't just sit here, or at Mrs. Figg's, where no doubt the Dursleys would try to leave him, but what was he to do?

_I could get my broom and fly to the Weasleys', _he thought.No, that was no good.He'd been there several times, yes, but he didn't know how to get there.He'd get lost._I could go stay at the Leaky Cauldron, perhaps._Yes, that sounded like the best idea.He began to throw all his belongings into his trunk, then stopped.How on earth was he to get this huge trunk, plus Hedwig's cage, to London?It was impossible.He couldn't leave it, and he couldn't use magic to shrink it or anything because he was underage.

"Hang on," he said aloud."There's that witch next door.I could ask her to shrink it for me, maybe.After the Dursleys leave, I suppose."That seemed like a good plan to him, so he finished putting his books into the trunk, then sat down at the window to wait.

The Dursleys weren't carrying that much luggage with them; they seemed to have decided to get out as fast as possible. Soon Uncle Vernon's company car was heading off down Privet Drive, and Harry stood up.He had his wand in his hand; somehow he felt better when it was with him, like he was taller and stronger and –well, safer. It was drizzling slightly outside; the neighbors appeared to be in their houses, and he didn't see anyone peering through curtains.He wasn't sure why he should care if they saw him, it wasn't as if any of them were waiting for a chance to attack him.Harry walked up to the house next door and knocked.The witch, Jenny, opened the door and smiled at Harry.

"Oh, hello, Harry.Do you want to come in?"

"Yes," he said.He'd stuck his wand in his belt, but his hand hovered near it.Perhaps some of Uncle Vernon's paranoia had rubbed off on him, but he didn't feel very safe, even here. 

Jenny had him sit down in the kitchen and poured him a cup of tea."What's the matter?" she asked kindly."Are you worried about something?"

"Yeah," Harry said, taking a sip of tea."The Dursleys left, see."

"They what?"She had been about to take a sip of tea, but now her cup hung frozen three inches form her face.

"They left. Went on vacation and couldn't take me, they said."

"Uh-huh."She put down her cup and rolled her eyes.

"So I'm going to go stay at the Leaky Cauldron, but I need some help, shrinking my trunk or something, it's too big for me to lug there."

"Of course, Harry.I can take you there, if you like."

"Thanks."Harry was a bit surprised, somehow, that someone he barely knew would offer him such assistance.

"Or you could stay here a few days, I could look after you, until Sirius gets back into the country and you can ask him what to do."

Harry stared at her."Sirius?" he managed after a minute."You – Sirius – you know about Sirius?"

"I do," she said evenly."In fact, I'm glad you came over now.I got a letter from him this morning saying he'll be back soon.He asked me to let you know too – he doesn't know I'm here, of course, nobody but Dumbledore knows that."

"I guess you're one of the people Dumbledore told him to alert?" Harry knew he was still staring and took another sip of tea.

"You could say that."She smiled at him."I'm Sirius' wife, Harry."

Now Harry really stared."I didn't know he was married!"

"Oh, no doubt he didn't exactly have a chance to tell you."She didn't seem to mind that much."In fact, if things had worked out a little differently, I might have been your foster-mother. I'd have liked that."She smiled sadly."I was a good friend of your mother's, Harry."

"So, where is Sirius?" Harry asked, not sure how to respond to her words.

"He didn't say."Again Jenny smiled."Doing something for Dumbledore, you know.But he'll be back soon."

"Good, I hope so."Harry knew that he'd feel better, somehow, if Sirius was in the country, even if he were hundreds of miles away.

"So, would you rather stay here or go to the Leaky Cauldron?" Jenny asked. " I should warn you that the Leaky Cauldron is full of foreign warlocks right now and you'd have a hard time getting a room, but I think we could manage it if you wanted."

"No, I think I'll stay here if you don't mind," Harry said.Surely this would be the first place Sirius came when he got back?He wanted to see Sirius as soon as possible and ask him what to do.And this woman had been a friend of his mother.He knew he could trust her.

"That's wonderful."She smiled at Harry again.She certainly seemed a cheerful person, Harry thought."There's two spare rooms upstairs, but I'd better warn you against going into the basement."

"Why's that?" Harry asked curiously.

"Because I've got my oddest plants there."She gestured at the various flowers and such that grew in pots around the rest of her house."I couldn't leave them when I came here, could I?But the Man-Eating Hyacinths and such are downstairs where they can't hurt anyone easily."

"So that garlic and stuff, you grew that yourself?"Harry was interested, mildly.He didn't think Herbology was that great, but perhaps man-eating plants were different.

"Oh, yes. And I've got a regular contract with St. Mungo's to supply Mandrakes and other restorative plants.Do you like plants?"

"Sort of, I guess.It's Neville who's best with them in my year, Neville Longbottom."As he spoke he aw something in her eyes, perhaps sadness."Did you know – Neville's parents?"

"I did," she said."Frank Longbottom was a very good Auror, you know.Not many people could have stood up to what he went through.Such a shame, that."But there was now a damper, it seemed, on the conversation; Harry finished his tea in silence.

"Right," he said."So – should I get my stuff now?"

"That's a good idea," Jenny agreed."I'll come with you."She stood up; Harry saw that she had a wand at her belt too."Just in case," she said, seeing his eyes linger on the wand."We don't want to take any chances, do we?"

Severus Snape was alone in his office, pacing up and down, glaring at the bottles on the shelves, thinking. 

He was in a real dilemma, there was no arguing about that.Voldemort had given him an order, and if he failed, he would doubtless be punished severely.If he wasn't careful, Voldemort could learn of his double-agent role.He knew what that meant.

But on the other hand, he could not kill Sirius Black – whatever he might have liked.For a brief instant he allowed himself to think of how very satisfying it would be to finally kill his old rival.But he could not do that. He had renounced Voldemort, he was no longer a Death Eater, he had not been one for many years.He would not kill Sirius.Voldemort wanted him to, and that was reason enough not to do a thing.

So how was he to pull this off?If he simply did not kill Sirius, Voldemort would know he was a traitor. If he made it look as if he had tried but failed, he would be punished, but perhaps not killed.There had to be a better way, though.And then suddenly an idea came to him fully-formed, and he almost smiled.It just might work.At once he set off from the dungeons; he would have to speak to Dumbledore, and he might be in London right now.Time was precious, and Snape wasn't going to waste a single second of it.

Harry was enjoying his stay with Jenny; she was very kind to him and her plants were fascinating.She told him all about them, and he had a feeling his Herbology score this year would be much better than previously.

Late the third night, he sat in his bedroom doing his homework.Somehow he'd been unable to shake the habit of doing his assignments in the dead of night with a flashlight.He'd heard Jenny go to bed a few hours ago, which was too bad, because he had a question about this essay on potion ingredients she might have been able to help him with.

Then he heard a noise downstairs, someone moving around.He paused, quill over the parchment, frowning.He had heard noises a moment before, a bedroom door opening, but hadn't really thought about them.Now he wondered why Jenny had gotten back up.

_Maybe I could ask her about this if she's not too tired,_ he thought.He put down his quill and went to the door and crept quietly along the hall.

Downstairs, he could see a light; not wandlight or electric light, but the light of a fire.He also thought he could hear someone speaking, and it didn't sound like Jenny.Silently he went down the stairs partway.

There was a fire in the living room grate, and a person's head in it.Harry didn't recognize who it was, but he and Jenny were engaged in low conversation.Neither could see Harry from where he stood.

"… you're sure he doesn't know a thing?" the strange man was asking.

"Not a thing."Jenny smiled."He's far too trusting, you know."

"All the better for us," the man said."We'll be coming for him day after tomorrow – there are a few obstacles we need to get out of the way first."

"Black?" she asked sharply.

"We've taken care of him already, don't worry."The man gave a cruel smile that Harry could just make out."Dumbledore has been distracted, you know."

"Of course I do," she said with a laugh, not a kind laugh, but a scornful, hateful laugh."After all, he doesn't have a clue about me, now does he?"

"Black is our only worry, and as long as he hasn't been warned we'll have no trouble killing him," the man said."Have you heard from him?"

"Yes," Jenny said after a tiny hesitation."A letter.I sent a reply – don't worry so much, it'll be fine.I didn't tell him anything."

"But he might notice-"

"I don't think so," she said coldly. "You worry too much."

"And you don't worry enough," he retorted."All right.Thursday at midnight, we'll be there."

"I'll have the boy under my control," she promised.

Harry didn't wait to hear any more but fled quietly back to his room.There he thought hard about what he'd heard.

Jenny was a traitor, obviously.She was planning to hand him over to Voldemort.They were planning to kill Sirius.He had to get out of here, and now.

He heard her coming back up the stairs and flung himself into bed.She looked in, he could hear her, and then went to her own room.Harry sat up.

He'd have to get out tonight.He could fly to Diagon Alley, he'd be safe there.Quickly he pulled open his trunk, grabbed his Firebolt and Invisibility Cloak, and opened the window.He hesitated.He'd never tried flying out of a window before, and this one wasn't very big.He'd better get out there and perch on the ledge, take off from there.First he put on the Cloak, then clambered through the window.Silently he took off through the night, heading for London and, he hoped, safety.

He reached the Leaky Cauldron around dawn, dropping to the ground and pulling off the Cloak wearily.The flight had been uneventful.He was just glad the place was open. 

Hurrying inside, he found the bar deserted apart from a wizard hunched over something that smelled good.Harry looked around for Tom, the barman. Then he realised who the wizard was.

"Professor Lupin!" he exclaimed, and hurried over.Lupin turned to him.

"Harry!What are you doing here?"He smiled, but Harry could see worry in his eyes.

"The Dursleys left, and I was staying with this woman, Jenny, she said she's Sirius' wife."

"Yes, she is – why are you here at this time of morning?"Lupin looked very puzzled and he pushed his plate away from him so he could put a hand on Harry's shoulder."Harry, I must say you look rather dreadful."

"She's a traitor, I heard her talking to someone, they were planning to hand me over to Voldemort."

Remus' hand on Harry's shoulder tightened."Are you sure of what you heard?" he asked.

"Positive.There's nothing else it could have been."

"Come with me."Remus stood up and led Harry up the stairs to a room.He knocked on the door.

"Sirius, it's me, let me in."

The door swung open at once.Remus ushered Harry in.

"Harry!" Sirius exclaimed."Why are you here?You look exhausted."

"I am, been flying most of the night."Harry sat down on a bed.He recounted his story for Sirius quickly."I'm afraid they're out to kill you too."

Sirius frowned."Something is very wrong here." 

That sure sounded like an understatement."I'm sorry I had to tell you," Harry said."I mean, if she's your wife and all…"

"That could not have been Jenny," Sirius said firmly. "You've never met her, Harry, or you wouldn't say that. Maybe it was someone pretending to be her."

"It could have been," Harry admitted, though he didn't really think so.

"You said she was planning to kill Sirius," Remus said.His brow was wrinkled."You didn't mention that to me."

"She did, or the other one did – they most certainly said they were going to have 'no trouble killing Black'," Harry recalled.

"That proves it couldn't have been her – not that I thought it was," Sirius said, glancing at Remus."You agree, I'm sure?"

"Yes, I do."Remus was frowning."Now we have to find out where Jenny really is."

"Yes, she could be in trouble.At least we know she's alive," Sirius said.

"Hold on," Harry said."Can I ask just how you know it couldn't have been her?I mean, isn't there the slightest chance?"

"Not likely," Remus said.He looked at Sirius, who nodded."First of all, if Jenny was a traitor – which wouldn't happen – she wouldn't be trying to kill Sirius. They – if Sirius dies, Harry, so does Jenny. And the reverse is true."

"How on earth is that possible?" Harry asked.

"It's a very long story," Sirius broke in, "which I shall tell you sometime, but not now.Right now we've got to go see this woman."He frowned."I should have known something was wrong from that letter," he said to Remus."I told you it sounded weird."

He looked at Harry, who was wearing a puzzled expression."It just didn't seem like Jenny," he elaborated."She was quite angry with me when I left two weeks ago, you see.And there wasn't anything about it in the letter, nothing at all.I didn't really think about it then but now I see…"

"All right, then, we'll go," Remus said."Harry, you stay here – or, no, I don't know if it's that safe here either…"

"The Weasleys?" Sirius suggested."They'll be glad to see you, I'm sure."

"I'm coming with you," Harry said firmly.

"Harry," Sirius began, but Harry shook his head.

"I'll be careful, I promise.But I've had enough of waiting around and not knowing what's happening. I'm coming along."

"He sounds just like James, too, doesn't he?" Remus said wearily."I don't suppose it's any use to argue."

"But you'll wear that Invisibility Cloak," Sirius said."And you'll stick close to me, and at the first sign of trouble, get out of there."

"Fine," Harry agreed."Now, are we going?"He threw on the Cloak.

"Just a minute," Sirius said.He disappeared into the bathroom and emerged a few minutes later looking very different.

"What happened to you?" Remus asked, trying not to laugh.Sirius' hair had turned bright yellow; he sported a mustache and beard and was wearing Muggle clothes.He looked absurd.

"Don't want to be recognized," Sirius explained."Too much time if we get stopped."

Harry hid his grin and followed Sirius and Remus from the room.He felt much safer now that he was around them.

The three – two visible, one not – landed in a little park near Privet Drive around ten in the morning.They hid their brooms so as to not attract attention and Harry led the way to Number Six.There Sirius knocked on the door.

It opened a few minutes later, and Jenny- or the person who claimed to be Jenny – looked out.She gasped.

"Sirius?Remus? Why are you here?How did you find out?"She looked a bit panicky, no doubt because Harry had vanished and she was afraid of what Voldemort might do to her – or what Sirius might do if he knew the truth.

Sirius' face was cold as stone, and just as hard.

"Who are you?" he asked in a tone that matched his expression.

"What on earth are you talking about, Sirius?It's me, Jenny!"

"It is most certainly not," Remus said."We've spoken to Harry already, whoever you are."

"I don't know – what is going on?" she asked, eyes wide with panic.Harry saw, from where he stood, what the others could not; her hand was moving slowly toward her wand.

"_Stupefy_!" he yelled, pointing his wand at her.She keeled over backward. Sirius looked at him – or tried to, he was actually looking at a spot two feet over.

"Why'd you do that, Harry?We needed to question her."

"She was going for her wand," Harry explained.

"I see.Well, we'd better get her inside."Sirius' words were light, but his face was suddenly lined with worry."Harry, you've been inside this house.Is there anywhere someone might be hidden?"

"I don't think so – wait!The basement!"Harry thought quickly."She never let me down there, she said there were man-eating plants and such."

"I think it's time we saw the basement then," Sirius said grimly.He grabbed the imposter's feet, Remus her arms, and hauled her inside.

"I do hope none of the neighbors saw that and called the police," Remus said.

"Nah, Aunt Petunia's really the only busybody in the neighborhood," Harry assured him."Everyone else tends to their own business."

"This the door?" Sirius asked, pointing to one that Harry knew led to the basement.

"Yes."Sirius jerked it open and began to head down the stairs quickly.Remus followed and Harry went too.

There were plants down here, but they seemed to be either Muggle plants or dormant; certainly none tried to eat them as they made their way toward a door at one end of the basement.Sirius tried it.

"Locked," he muttered, then pointed his wand at it and said "_Reducto_!"It vanished in a cloud of smoke and a loud bang.

"Really, Sirius," Remus said as they waited for the smoke to clear, "can't you ever just unlock them?'_Alohomora'_ works just as well."

Sirius ignored him and ducked inside.Harry peered in too.

There was a bed in the room, and on the bed was a woman, an exact duplicate of the one who was upstairs unconscious.Sirius was bending over her, his hands unusually gentle as he checked her pulse.

"She's alive, of course, but I think she's in a trance," he called over his shoulder to Remus."I'm going to try to wake her up."

"No, let me,' Remus said."You know I was always better at that in school.You wouldn't want to hurt her."

"Of course not," he said."Okay then, Remus, go ahead."

Harry stepped forward so he could see.Remus pointed his wand at the sleeping woman's forehead and muttered something.A jet of golden light came out of his wand. It hit the woman, who stirred a bit.Her eyes began to blink.Sirius bent over and kissed her, and that seemed to finish the job Remus had started; her eyes opened wide and she threw her arms around his neck.

"I think we found the real Jenny," Remus said dryly to Harry.Harry noticed that the hood of his cloak was falling off, so he just pulled the whole thing off.It seemed safe enough.

When he was done, he looked back at Sirius.Jenny was sitting up now.

"How long has it been?" she asked him.

"Since what?Since I left or since you've been here?"

"Since I've been here," she clarified.

"I'm not sure," he admitted."When were you attacked?"

"It's been at least a week," Harry put in, "because the imposter moved in a week ago.Unless that was you?"

She shook her head."No, I was attacked the day before I was supposed to come here – I suppose this is Privet Drive?"

"Yes," Sirius and Harry said together.

"You're Harry, of course," she said, looking at him."We haven't met."

"Well, no, but I know who you are," he said."The imposter told me."

"You've got your mother's eyes."She stared at him."When I see them, it's almost as if she's looking at me through you, do you know that?"

"People are always saying I have her eyes, and I look like Dad," Harry answered.

"It's true," Sirius put in.

"All right, Sirius, I want you to tell me exactly what happened," Jenny said.Then she smiled."First though I have to tell you that I'm glad you're here safe and I'm sorry I yelled at you like that."

"I should apologize for a few things too," Sirius said.Remus caught Harry's eye and gestured toward the stairs with his head.Harry followed Remus quietly.

"Believe me, you don't want to stay there once they start apologizing like that."Remus grinned at Harry, a surprising grin on his face, an almost Sirius-like grin."That's the way it always used to be… sometimes they were worse than – than your parents, Harry."He sighed sadly."Perhaps we'd better check on our prisoner and see if we can revive her.She might have some – information – for us."

Harry nodded and they went together to the couch where the woman lay.

"Let's wait a bit," Harry said."If she's taken Polyjuice Potion it should wear off soon enough, right?"

"Yes, of course.It could be useful if we knew who she really is before trying to question her."

"Or him," Harry said grimly, remembering suddenly the story he had heard only a few weeks back about Mrs. Crouch, who had died in Azkaban wearing her son's appearance.

"Or him," Remus conceded.They took seats across from the unconscious woman, both with their wands in their hands, and waited.

It couldn't have been very long, but it seemed like an eternity to Harry before anything happened, and that was just Sirius and Jenny emerging from the basement.Jenny looked down scornfully at her sleeping double.

"I'm going to find something to eat," she said, moving toward the kitchen."Tell me when you find out who this is."

"Too bad we don't have any Veritaserum," Harry remarked."That did wonders for Crouch."

"I don't think we'll have much trouble persuading her to answer our questions," Sirius said grimly.His face was again set in hard lines and he kept smacking his wand against the palm of his other hand.

Then, as they watched, a transformation occurred.The woman's hair changed subtly; it was about the same length and hue as it had been, but it looked somehow less healthy.Her face changed, too, from Jenny's pleasant features to a lined and cruel looking visage.Harry gasped, because he had seen this woman before – in a memory.

"Marissa Lestrange," Sirius said slowly, looking down at her."She escaped from Azkaban with the Dementors, didn't she?I remember her there.She and her husband were two of Voldemort's strongest supporters, but that didn't keep them safe from the Dementors.She screamed for a long, long time, that one."

"Marissa Lestrange?" Jenny asked.She'd just come into the room, carrying tea with her."I suppose it was her husband who attacked me, then – I didn't recognize him, he'd changed so much."

"Well, she's one the Ministry will be pleased to get back," Sirius said grimly.

"No wait," Remus put in."Hold on.Harry, they're expecting her to hand you over to them tomorrow night, right?"

"Well, yeah, but I'm sure she's told them by now I escaped – they might be on their way here now!"Harry sat bolt upright at this thought.

"Don't worry, Harry," Remus said calmly. "We went to school with Marissa.I won't deny that Azkaban may have changed her a great deal, but there was always one thing about her – she made mistakes frequently, and often made them worse by trying to get out of them by herself.She might not have told Voldemort yet."

"How are we supposed to find that out?" Harry asked."She probably won't just tell us."

"You said it yourself a few minutes back," Remus went on."Veritaserum."

"You've got some?" Harry was surprised.From what he'd heard, the Ministry regulated the potion very strictly.

"We can make it," Sirius said."Remus and I know how."

"Don't bother to ask how they learned it, Harry," Jenny said."They won't tell you –and you probably don't have to ask.I've got most of the ingredients here, thanks to dear Marissa's thoughtfulness."She gestured at all the plants everywhere."And what I don't have I'll bet you do – you've got your school supplies somewhere, I imagine?"

"Yeah, they're upstairs," Harry said."What do you need?"

"Armadillo bile, dragon's blood, and powdered unicorn horn," Sirius said."And the cauldron, of course."

"Right," Harry said and raced upstairs.When he got back, he found that Sirius and Remus had built a fire in the grate and were now busily hacking at plants.

"Good," Sirius said, looking up as Harry came in."I can start simmering these."He brandished some roots.Harry put the cauldron over the fire and Sirius dumped the roots in casually.While Remus stirred in the unicorn horn, he shredded leaves from another plant, one Harry did not recognize.

"Ah, shouldn't you be measuring that?" Harry asked as Sirius dumped it into the bubbling cauldron."Snape always told us that things can go very wrong with potions if you're not careful."

"Harry, you're talking to the wrong person."Harry turned to see Jenny coming in, her arms full of more leaves and such."Sirius here was best known at Hogwarts for consistently blowing up his concoctions in Potions, or coming up with truly interesting substances that did very unexpected things."She glared at him."But we need this to be right, Sirius."

"Fine, you do it," he said, gesturing for her to take over.She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Hey, it's turning blue!" Remus called."Can you remember if it's supposed to do that, Sirius?"

"I think so," he said."It's been a while since I've made it, you know.Jenny, just toss those in there, will you?"He turned back to his shredding.

"No doubt it will explode as soon as I do so," Jenny said to Harry."Ah well.I'd better warn you, if we get everything worked out and you come live with us, it could be like this all the time."

"Great!" Harry said happily."Have you got a house?Sirius never told me."Jenny was standing as far from the cauldron as she could and still reach it.She dumped the plants in quickly and jumped back.

"Well, what do you know," she muttered."It didn't explode."

"No, and it's almost done," Remus said."We just need those – ah, good, you're done."Sirius stood up and put his pile of leaves in.Remus gave the potion another stir; it turned green, gave off a puff of acrid smoke, and Remus pulled it from the fire.

"Go wake Sleeping Beauty," Jenny told Sirius, her eyebrows drawing together and her mouth tightening into a straight line."I'll get a bottle to put that in and we can give it to her."

Harry watched anxiously as Sirius revived Marissa Lestrange and pointed his wand at her."_Ennervate_," he said harshly.The woman's eyes opened slowly, and she sat up.She smiled coldly.

"So, Sirius Black.We meet again."

"Marissa Lestrange," he acknowledged.Jenny came back with a bottle for the Veritaserum and a cup in her hands.Remus slowly poured the potion into the bottle and put a little in the cup.Jenny handed it silently to Marissa.

"What is this?" she asked scornfully. "Poison?Would you kill me so quickly, then?"

"Not poison, though it should be," Sirius growled."Drink it."

"I refuse," she said, drawing herself up haughtily.

"Drink it or I will kill you."Sirius looked at her.His words had not been dramatically emphasized at all, he had simply stated fact.She must have realized this, for, after a moment when she seemed to consider things, she drained the cup.

_ _

_She thinks it is poison_, Harry realized._She thinks she's going to die._

"Now, tell me exactly what Voldemort had you do," Sirius said, in the same cold voice.Harry was struck suddenly how he sounded so much like Dumbledore had that night in the hospital wing, talking to Fudge.

Marissa's voice was toneless, like Crouch's had been."My husband and I went to your wife's house and stunned her.We took her here in the middle of the night to hide her.Then he left and I moved in disguised.

"I put the Imperius Curse on Dursley, just had I had been instructed. Then I befriended Potter.When he was left behind, he came to me as I had hoped.It wasn't hard to convince him to stay.

"I suppose he overheard me talking to my husband last night… it was a risk but we had to arrange the details."

"Have you informed Voldemort that Harry escaped?" Sirius asked.

"No.I told no one, hoping to recapture him before I had to tell my master."

"Good."Remus looked at Sirius."I've got an idea, you see."

"I think I know what you are planning."Sirius looked at Jenny, who nodded.

"Right.So it's my turn to help save the world?"

"If you don't mind."He smiled for the first time since they had begun to question Marissa.Harry felt totally lost.

"Er, if you don't mind telling me, what are you planning to do?" he asked.

"Simple."Jenny allowed herself a smile almost as cold as Marissa's had been."This woman is going to go down in that basement room where she was keeping me.And I'm going to be here tomorrow night to hand you over to Voldemort."

"Meanwhile, Remus and I will be waiting for whoever shows up," Sirius put in."With any luck, we could capture some of Voldemort's chief supporters.Perhaps even Wormtail."

"So I just have to stay here?" Harry asked.

"Well, I'd prefer you went somewhere else, but they might check before they come to make sure you're here," Sirius said."So yes, you'll stay here."

"Don't worry about anything," Jenny said reassuringly, "though I doubt you really would.Your father would have thought this all a grand prank."

But Harry didn't really think it was a joke; he thought of all the things that could go wrong and winced.Still, he wanted to do what he could to help fight Voldemort, so he agreed.

"Splendid," Sirius said, clapping him on the shoulder."Now, if you don't mind, I never got breakfast today."

"Me either," Harry remembered, and suddenly realised he was famished."I'm hungry, let's eat."

**Standard disclaimers of course.I'm already working on the next bit so again the wait shouldn't be too long.And for all of you reading this: are you reading Call of the Wild by the WolfieTwins?If not you're really missing something – it's the best story here.So I'd suggest reading it if you haven't already. (After all, it is a long wait until Book 5.)**


	8. Default Chapter Title

Aurors Part VIII

_ _

_(past)_

"I cannot believe I did that!"Remus said angrily, striding up and down the room.Sirius was in it with him, the living room of Remus' home.He'd come over earlier that morning to check on Remus, after last night's events.

"Moony, it wasn't your fault," Sirius said reasonably."She bewitched you, there was nothing you could do."

"She didn't bewitch James," Remus pointed out."Or you."

"Thank goodness for that," Sirius agreed."Jenny would have killed me before we figured out what was going on.You're being too hard on yourself."

"No I'm not."Remus' face was grim."I gave her information that she fed to the Death Eaters, and you and James were nearly killed!"

"You were right there with us," Sirius said."Look, Moony, calm down and think about this.You're usually very good at thinking things through."He grinned but the grin faded when Remus' expression did not lighten."Okay, then.She got information from you.She bewitched you, Remus!And nothing happened to us, no one was hurt!"

"You could have been," Remus persisted."You and James could have both been killed.And why was I the only one vulnerable to her spells?"

"You weren't.We already know of at least five others, and the Ministry thinks there's more.And some of them gave her really important secrets!Compared to that, you didn't let anything slip!"Sirius ran his fingers through his hair, scowling."I've let you feel all sorry for yourself long enough, Remus.Now you're going to get over it now.It wasn't your fault, it was hers."

"I was just so… so swept away," Remus muttered, sitting down at last."She was the first girl I'd ever really felt that for, and she made me feel, I don't know, special."

"Yeah, well, they all tend to do that," Sirius said lightly."You'll find another girl, Remus."

"Easy enough for you to say," Remus answered."You're the one who dated half of Hogwarts, after all.Reesa was the first girl I ever loved.And it turned out she was using me!"Remus looked at Sirius, pain in his eyes."And that isn't even the point.The point is, I let you down because I allowed my feelings, my instincts, to take over.I _didn't_ think, Sirius, not about anything."Sirius looked as if he were about to speak, but Remus continued, ignoring him."Why do you think I always insist on thinking thing through, Sirius?Do you know how – how terrible it is for me to look back at – at the full moons, and remember that I was an _animal?_ That I wasn't in control?And then to have the same thing happen at a time when I didn't have to be that way?"

"Remus, it wasn't that way at all."Sirius looked at him."You said you let us down.Well, I seem to remember you stopping one of those thugs right as he was about to curse me. And as for not thinking about things – well, as James says, you're rational twenty-eight days a month, and that's at least twenty-seven and a half more than me."He grinned, and finally Remus returned the smile."Come on, Remus.I told James we'd meet them at noon, and it's after eleven already."

_(present)_

"Are you sure you can do this?" Sirius asked Jenny.She sighed and looked at him.

"What's to do?I don't have to fool them for long, you know, I just have to get them in here so you and Remus can take care of them.There's not much danger to me."

"I just wanted to be sure," he said, his words trailing off at the end.

It was evening at Number Six Privet Drive, and tomorrow agents of Voldemort would be coming to get Harry.They thought that Marissa Lestrange was holding him captive and they would be able to take him to Voldemort easily, but they would be in for a rather nasty surprise when they showed up.

"Sirius!" Remus called from the kitchen."Sirius, there's a letter here for you.It's from Dumbledore."

"I'm coming," Sirius replied, moving away from the window and Jenny, who followed him.

"What is it?" she asked as he read the letter.

"It says here that Snape has been ordered by Voldemort to kill me," he read.

"I'm sure he's more than happy to do that," Jenny said darkly."I don't like him, Snape."

"Join the club," Sirius remarked, and read on."Right – so Snape wants to make it look like he's killed me.That could have its advantages, you know," he said thoughtfully."It'd probably get the Ministry off my tail."

"Literally," Jenny said, grinning at him."How's Snape planning to fake this?"

"Wizard's duel, right in plain sight – like what happened with Wormtail, except no spectators getting killed this time."Sirius considered this."Sounds like a decent plan to me. If we can trust him"

"How is he going to explain the lack of a body?" Remus asked.

"He's transfigure something to look like a body," Sirius said."In the confusion, I duck away in Animagus form, and you, Remus, bring me back here."

"On a leash?" Jenny asked, grinning."That should be a sight.I wish I had a camera."

"So when is this set for?" Remus asked.

"Ah, tomorrow at ten.We're to be outside Gringotts and he'll meet us there."

"Tomorrow?"Jenny's jaw dropped."But – can you get back in time?"

"The Death Eaters aren't coming until midnight," Remus pointed out."That shouldn't be a problem.You and Harry just stay here and we'll get back before then."

"There are a lot of things that could go very wrong with this plan," Jenny said. "I don't trust Snape, for one."

"Neither do I," Sirius said, grinning."But Dumbledore's told him he has to work with me. I don't think he'll try to kill me."

"And I'll be there in case he does," Remus added."Still, this plan is rather risky."

"There's no time to make another," Sirius said."Don't worry, everything will go fine."

"It had better," Jenny muttered."Where'd Harry go, anyway?"

"He's upstairs writing to his friends.He hasn't heard from them in a while," Remus explained. "I'm going to go see how he's doing now and explain everything to him."He smiled and headed upstairs.As soon as he was gone, Jenny turned to Sirius.

"So I'm just supposed to stay here with Harry and wait for you to come back?" she asked.There was a dangerous edge to her voice.

"That would probably be best," Sirius said."I don't think that the Death Eaters would expect anything else."

"Fine."Jenny glared at him, then sighed."At least change that stupid disguise, will you?It doesn't suit you at all.And it's not a very good one, either; anyone could see who you are."

"I will," he said."Have you checked on Marissa recently?I don't think she will be able to get free, but it's best to check every now and then."

"I did a few minutes ago." Jenny sighed."She – she's trying to act all proud and haughty, but she's afraid of being sent back to Azkaban, Sirius. She just might cooperate with the Ministry."

"I doubt it," he said grimly."In Azkaban, I could hear her sometimes…she was sure that Voldemort would free her and reward her.She may be afraid to go back but I think she's more afraid of him."His eyes were bleak and old as he spoke of the prison.Jenny put a hand on his shoulder.

"You won't be sent back," she said quietly."Dumbledore knows now, and others.The Dementors are gone, so they can't do – that."She shuddered.

"When – when I had been recaptured, at Hogwarts," he said softly, "and I was waiting for the Dementors… I would have killed myself if I could have.Better – better dead than that…"

"You'd have been right," she assured him in just as low a tone."But it won't happen now."

"I've never been afraid of anything," he said, almost talking to himself. "Nothing… but I'm afraid of _that,_ Jenny, afraid of what the Dementors could do.It's very odd, you know.All the times I've faced death, I never really feared it, not really. The other…"

"It's all right," she said gently."It won't happen.I promise that."She kissed him lightly. "We'll all get through this together."

Sirius and Remus decided to leave late that night so they could build an alibi regarding where they'd been.Harry kept working on his homework, he said, but his essay on Transfigurations didn't get very far before he gave up and went to bed.

In the middle of the night he sat up with a scream of pain.A moment later, Jenny rushed in.

"What happened?" she asked, concern in her voice.Harry held a hand to his scar.He was shaking all over."What's wrong?" Jenny asked more gently, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"A dream," Harry said finally, taking his hand from his forehead."A nightmare.Voldemort was there, and Wormtail."

"You've had those before, haven't you?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah – twice at least.Voldemort – he still thinks he's going to get me tomorrow night."

"He won't," she assured him.Her fingers brushed his scar lightly."Did it hurt you?"

"Yes, it's better now."

"It doesn't feel any different to me, it's not hot or anything."Jenny looked him in the eyes. It was rather odd, for Harry, to have someone caring about him like this.The Dursleys would have yelled at him and stomped back to bed. "Anything else in your dream?"

"There – there was a Dementor," Harry said slowly."I think Voldemort promised that when he's won he'll let them feed off of people as much as they like."He shuddered at that thought, and Jenny shuddered too.."He was talking about Sirius, taunting Wormtail.Wormtail's still afraid, and he thinks Sirius could beat Snape.He thinks Voldemort should send Dementors."

"What did Voldemort say to that?" Jenny asked sharply.

"He just laughed.That's when I woke up."Harry looked down at the blanket."Will Sirius be all right, you think?"

"Well, Snape's not really going to try to kill him," Jenny said."And even if he were, I think Sirius could handle it."She smiled."He's been in a lot of tough situations, Harry, and he's come through them all.And Remus will be there too, he can help out if it gets dangerous."

But Harry could see worry in her eyes and knew that he wasn't the only one concerned tonight.

"Can you get back to sleep or not?" Jenny asked."Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I will."He yawned."We'd better write to Dumbledore tomorrow though, he'll want to hear that."

"Of course we'll write," Jenny said."I'll stay here a little bit if you'd like."

"Yeah…" Harry yawned again and closed his eyes."I am tired."He felt much better knowing that someone else knew about his dream.It had helped to talk about it.

As he drifted off to sleep again, he thought he heard someone singing quietly.He knew that voice….

"I love you, Harry," it seemed to whisper.

"Love you too mum," he mumbled before dropping off the rest of the way.

Jenny waited until Harry was asleep.She thought he mumbled something at one point but couldn't make it out.Then she went back to her own bedroom.

She couldn't sleep; she really was worried, whatever she'd said to Harry.Maybe she should just get up and do something, take her mind off of this…

She was standing in a large room.It was lit at one end but everywhere else was dark.She thought she could see eyes in the dark, and shapes that did not have eyes. The light shone down on a raised dais; a throne was set on the platform.Snakes were carved into the throne, snakes whose gemstones eyes shone in the light as if they were real.And on the throne was Voldemort.She'd never seen him but she knew who he was, knew it could be no other.His white, snakelike face and horrible red eyes sickened her.Behind his throne stood two Dementors, their ominous shadows shading his face somewhat.

Suddenly she recognized the room; it was the Great Hall at Hogwarts, but it had been changed greatly.The ceiling was as it always had been, though the night outside was apparently without stars. But the room was not the same.The tables and chairs were all gone, the hangings from the walls also. There was an air of terror and hatred in the place that she could feel.

Voldemort waved his left hand almost lazily.Instantly the great doors swung open and several Death Eaters entered, leading a group of chained people behind them.Jenny gasped, for she recognized these people.There was Remus; a great scar ran down one side of his face and his left arm was gone at the elbow. Minerva McGonagall, looking terribly shocked, as if she could not believe what had happened to her, and Professor Trelawney, who had apparently not Seen this coming. Arthur Weasley and his wife, both with terrified expression on their faces, their daughter and three of their sons huddled near them.A girl with bushy brown hair and Hogwarts robes was wrapped in far more chains than could possibly be needed to restrain her, and her face was full of a mixture of things – grief was predominant. Many other people she did not know.And – Jenny caught her breath – Sirius was there, his robes torn, his face blue with bruises.Now suddenly Jenny knew that whatever was happening wasn't real – or not yet – for there she was, standing as best she could, an arm pressed to her ribs and fear in her eyes.What was this?A dream?A vision?She thought that if it were a dream she should have woken up – didn't they stop once you knew what they were?This place, whatever it was, was horrible, and she'd have given anything to be able to leave right then.

Voldemort rose from his throne and stared down at his vanquished enemies, a smile playing over his features.

"So," he said in his high, cold voice, "You thought you could fight me, the greatest wizard in the world.Now you see how wrong you were."He laughed then."You thought that Harry Potter could stop me, didn't you?Yet I killed him without hurting myself.You thought I was afraid of Albus Dumbledore, but he too is dead by my hand."He gestured around the room."Now I have won, and you have all lost."He pointed his wand lazily at one of the women Jenny didn't know and said, "_Avada Kedavra_."She fell to the ground, dead.

"Most of you will envy her soon," he said, turning back to them."You will die slowly, horribly, painfully."He smiled again, cruelly."And some of you will suffer longer than others.It has been rather – enjoyable for me, choosing the perfect fate for certain of you." He glanced at Remus."There are many of your kind on my side now.I could give you to them; they would tear you to pieces.A fitting end, I think."Remus refused to acknowledge him, instead shifting his chains a bit.Jenny could see now that they were much brighter than most of the ones in the room.From the way he grimaced, she guessed that they were made of silver.Voldemort's eye traveled on to the brown-haired girl. "You helped Potter in his foolish quests many times," he said softly."But you'll find that there are some creatures even you can't face, not without a wand…and there, this touching family picture."He looked now at the Weasleys."Some of you are already gone… the rest of you will join them shortly."Then his eye fell on Sirius."Sirius Black," he hissed."A formidable enemy.I have a different fate in store for you."He held up a hand and one of the Dementors glided forward.Jenny watched with horror as Sirius' face turned white.Jenny found herself screaming and shutting her eyes tightly, willing herself to block out the scene before her-

And she sat up in bed.Early dawn was turning the world pink beyond her window.She was – had she been dreaming?Was that horrible scene just a vivid dream?Or was it more than that, was it a vision of what might come to be…It must be a dream, caused by all her worries, plus that dream of Harry's.

But somehow she didn't think so.

~

Mrs. Weasley had decided that the family was going to go shop that day.Since Mr. Weasley and the older boys had to work, she hauled Fred, George, Ron and Ginny along with her.

"We need to stop at Gringotts first," she said, consulting her list."Fred!George!You stay here!"

"But mum, we have some shopping we've got to do," Fred said.

"Wait a bit and you may," Mrs. Weasley said."But I'm going to make sure you don't go down Knockturn Alley."

"Mum, we weren't planning to!"George looked exasperated."Fine, we'll go to Gringotts with you."

"Hurry up, they'll be open soon!" Ron said."It's almost ten!"

As they reached the great marble steps there was a commotion off to the right.

"What's that?" Mrs. Weasley asked, shading her eyes with her hand.Someone was running through the crowd; people were dodging out of the way.A spectator shouted something, but it didn't carry to the steps.

Another man was chasing the first, his wand out.A woman screamed as he passed by, but he didn't seem to care.

"It's Snape!"George said."Who's he chasing?"

The first man had stopped now, holding a hand to his side.He was breathing heavily and had a cornered look on his face.With a shock, Ron recognized Sirius Black.Snape pushed out of the crowd and stood ten feet from him.

"You've nowhere left to run, Black," Snape snarled."You're out of time."

"Not likely," Sirius growled back. His wand was in his hand. The crowd seemed to realize who he was all at once, and a furor of screams and shouts arose.People began shoving each other out of the way, desperate to get away.The Weasleys stood where they were, transfixed by the sight.

"I won't go back!" Sirius shouted."You'll have to kill me!"

"That's what I was planning on," Snape answered. His wand was held high as he shouted a spell.A bright white flash of light and an explosion of noise filled the air; when it had gone, a dead body lay on the ground.

Sirius' body.Snape put his wand into his belt and stayed where he was. People began to nervously come as far forward as they dared, trying to get a look, wary in case Sirius wasn't dead yet.One braver – or more curious – man stepped forward and checked for a pulse.

"He's dead!" the man shouted, and another hubbub began, this one much happier.The crowd began to congregate around Snape, some congratulating him, some thanking him, some asking just how he'd done it.

Through it all the Weasleys just stood watching, not quite able to believe what they'd seen.

And a short distance away, Remus was leading a great black dog on a leash.

Well, that was not a very long piece, I'm afraid.I came down with a dreadful case of writer's block somewhere in the middle of this piece and had a terrible time finishing it, but I think I'm over that now.At least I have an idea of what's coming next.

** **

**To, er, whoever that was who asked why the number of my stories had gone down: I recently erased some things I didn't like, when the memory problems began, and last week I compressed _Lisa Goes to Hogwarts_ into four parts rather than fifteen.The story's still there – plus a few revisions, mostly SPAG but also a bit of grammar – it's just in longer chapters (10,000words each).You didn't miss reading anything important (unless you haven't read _Lisa_, which is an interesting piece, one of my favorites.)**

** **

**Right, the characters from HP belong to J.K. Rowling. Reesa and Marissa are mine.Jenny's just someone who sprang from my head, a la Athena, except that she wasn't fully formed and isn't a goddess.However, she is telling me that this author's note has just degenerated into babbling, so I'll let you go. Thanks for reading (and Meg, when you read this, criticism is okay if it's nice. Just remember I do know where you, at least, live.)**

** **

**KB**


	9. Default Chapter Title

Aurors IX

"Do you think they're all right?" Harry asked Jenny as she paced up and down.She stopped suddenly, looking as if she'd forgotten that he was there, forced a smile, and turned to him.

"Of course they're all right," she assured him."Sirius and Remus can both look out for themselves."Her smile faded."Why don't you do some homework or something to take your mind off everything?"

"I suppose," Harry said.He walked past the window and glanced out.He pulled up with surprise."Jenny!The Dursleys are back!"

"I guess that Imperius Curse Marissa put on your uncle wore off," she said, coming over and looking too. "Perhaps we can get Sirius to go over and scare them when he gets back."

"Yes, that would be fun," Harry agreed, grinning. "I can just see Dudley running for cover with his hands over his fat rear end."

They watched as the Dursleys fearfully approached their house, opened it, and went in.

"Should we tell them you're here?" Jenny asked.

"No," Harry said firmly."I don't want them to know I'm anywhere about, they'll find some way to make me miserable."

"Oh, Harry," Jenny said, her face full of compassion."I'm so sorry."

"For what?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

"All the years you had to spend with them.You should have had someone to love you, but the Ministry…" she stopped."And Dumbledore did think it best, I suppose. At least you were safe there – though I don't think he knew just how much your aunt and uncle hate us."

"Did you ever meet them?" Harry asked.He'd been wondering that for some time now.

"I met Petunia a few times, yes," Jenny said, "Usually during the summers when I'd come to visit your mother. And they were both at your parents' wedding, I don't know why.Lily only invited them because she felt she had to."

"They probably thought it was their duty," Harry suggested. "Or maybe they were hoping to see just how bad wizards are."

"That day was one of the best of my life," Jenny recounted, sitting down."Your mother looked more lovely than I'd ever seen her, your father was just bursting with pride and happiness."She sighed."I don't suppose you've seen any pictures of it, living with those," she glanced toward Number 4, "but they made quite a sight."

"Actually, I've got some photos in my album," Harry said, jumping up."Hold on a minute."He ran upstairs, rummaged through his trunk, pulled out his thick photo album, and hurried back down."Hagrid made this for me a few years back," he explained.

"Yes, that sounds like something Hagrid would do," Jenny agreed.Harry flipped through the pages to the wedding photographs.

"Hey," he said, pausing at one picture, "is that you?"

"Let me see."She looked at it a moment, then nodded."That was me.I was Lily's bridesmaid, you know."She smiled sadly."None of us thought – not once…"she paused, and Harry saw a tear in her eye."Voldemort's hurt a lot of people," she said slowly. "But sometimes it seems that some of us were hurt worse than others… he killed your parents, and Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban because of that.You have to live with relatives who hate you.Remus – Remus lost all his friends in one night."She stopped again.

"What did you do for all those years?" Harry asked.He didn't want to say, if you were such a good friend of my mum's, why didn't you come and look after me, but Jenny seemed to understand what went unsaid.

"I hid," she said bitterly. "I wanted to take care of you, Harry, but I wasn't permitted to.So I hid, and avoided Remus, and did my best to forget that I'd been happy, once.And blamed myself for plenty of things."

"How could you be blamed for anything?" Harry wondered."Nobody ever thought you worked for Voldemort, did they?"

"No."Jenny looked at Harry, soberly."But when I thought Sirius was guilty, when I thought he was a traitor and spy, I thought I should have seen it, should have somehow stopped him from betraying your parents.And I wondered whether something I had said or done had made him join the dark side."She smiled."We were never the most harmonious of couples, not like your parents – I don't know that they ever really fought more than about three times in their lives."

Harry suddenly remembered something he'd been wanting to ask her for some time now."Jenny," he said tentatively, "A while back – when we had Pettigrew and thought we were going to clear Sirius then and there – Sirius offered to let me come live with him.I just wanted to find out if that would be okay with you?"

"Why, Harry," Jenny said, now smiling again, "Of course I want you to come live with us."

Harry grinned with relief."Thanks," he said. 

"Of course, we do have to clear Sirius first," Jenny reminded him."And convince Dumbledore to let you come."

"Why wouldn't he?Surely you and Sirius would be able to keep Voldemort away?And I'm not entirely useless."He looked both puzzled and insulted.

"Not entirely," Jenny agreed, winking at him."But if it comes down to keeping you safe with the Dursleys or putting you in danger with us, I'm not sure what Dumbledore would choose."

"I'm not afraid," Harry said.

"Of course not."Jenny sighed and closed the picture album."You're James' son."

Just then someone knocked at the door.Harry glanced out the window.

"It's them!" he said excitedly.

"Sirius and Remus?" Jenny asked, jumping up.Without waiting for an answer she opened the door.And started laughing.

"Get in here," she said finally, and Remus, grinning too, came inside.He was leading Sirius – as a dog, of course – by a leash and collar.

"This is priceless," Jenny said. "Harry, you don't have a camera do you?"

"No," Harry said.He was trying not to laugh himself.If a dog could scowl, Sirius was doing so.Remus pulled the collar off him and he transformed quickly.

"I thought you were worried I'd get hurt," he said to Jenny, who was still laughing.

"I was," she said, sobering herself."But you did look funny!"

"Yeah, Snuffles," Harry said slyly.

"Snuffles?"Jenny and Remus spoke together, turning to Sirius, who didn't answer, and to Harry, who was grinning broadly."What's this 'Snuffles' business?" Jenny asked.

"I thought it was best that Harry didn't use my name at Hogwarts," Sirius said stiffly."That's all."

"But – but Snuffles!"

"It really doesn't suit you," Remus observed."Whatever made you choose that?"

Sirius muttered something that no one caught.

"So," Jenny said, "Come and sit down and tell us what happened.Did it work right?"

"Yes, perfectly," Remus said. "Everything went just as we'd planned."

"So hopefully the Ministry won't be looking for me anymore," Sirius said."No doubt Snape'll get the Order of Merlin for that."

"Well, that's a small price to pay for them not hunting you," Jenny said with a smile."Now, we've just got to wait for the Death Eaters to come tonight.Once that happens – what then?"

"Turn Marissa over to the Ministry," Remus suggested."Dumbledore's in charge there, he'll know what to do."

"I don't really think I like this plan," Sirius remarked. "There are a lot of things that could go wrong."

"That's what I said about you faking your death," Jenny said, frowning."But you did that.Is this really more dangerous?They won't be sending too many Death Eaters, we've got the element of surprise, and there are three of us."

"Four," Harry said indignantly.

"It might be a good idea to have you go somewhere, ah, safer," Remus suggested tentatively. "The Weasleys would be glad to see you, I'm sure."

"And what if Voldemort's got spies around and finds out I went there?" Harry asked. "I thought the Weasleys couldn't protect me."He rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"Remus is right though." Sirius sat down, his brow furrowed. "It's not safe here for you."

"And it's perfectly fine for you."Harry looked at the three adults."I'm not a baby!" he said."I've faced Voldemort four times now, and lived.His Death Eaters can't be as bad as he is."

"You have survived," Jenny admitted, sitting down next to him."And that's just why we have to be careful to make sure you're safe.Do you have any idea what would happen if Voldemort killed you?People would panic, worse than ever before. You're a symbol, Harry, and if Voldemort ever manages to kill you, that would be a symbol too."

"That's what he said," Harry remembered.He looked down at his feet, almost mumbling."When I saw him last.He said the same thing."

"Because it's true," Sirius said."That's why he wants you dead, and it's one of many reasons we need you alive."

"But I want to help," Harry said. "You might need me."

"To do what?"Sirius looked amused."You're not allowed to do magic, Harry, remember?"

"In an emergency," Harry began, but Remus cut him off.

"An emergency is what we're trying to prevent, Harry.There won't be one unless you're here when the Death Eaters show up."

"I – well," Harry stopped. 

"I'll go to the Weasleys with you, Harry," Jenny said."Explain things to them, if you like.We can go by Floo Powder."

"Can I come back when this is over?" Harry asked, giving in.

"You can come to my house – my real house," Jenny said."And your friend Ron, too, if he wants."

"All right," Harry said. "Fine, I'll go."He picked up his scrapbook and went upstairs. A few minutes later he came back down, carrying Hedwig in her cage."I, ah, can't lift my trunk," he said as he put Hedwig down.

"We'll get it," Sirius said, and he and Remus went upstairs. With many thumps and bumps, the trunk was brought downstairs.

Just as Harry was about to throw his Floo Powder into the fire, the doorbell rang.Jenny hurried over and peered through the window.

"It's someone from the Ministry!" she exclaimed."Remus, you take Harry and go, Sirius, you'd better hide."

"Come on," Remus said to Harry, pushing him forward to the fire.In a moment, they were gone, and all that was seen of Sirius was a black tail heading down the stairs.Jenny opened the door.

She didn't recognize the man, just the uniform.He was obviously from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.He looked very uncomfortable.

"Are you Jenny Black?" he asked, consulting a piece of parchment in his hands.

"I am," she said."Do you want to come inside?The neighbors are staring."It was actually just Aunt Petunia.It seemed her vacation had not cured her of her favorite pastime.

"Yes, thank you," the man said. He followed her in and sat down in the chair she offered him."I'm, ah, Samuel Archer, Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"And, if I may ask, why do you wish to talk to me?" Jenny asked politely.Her heart, however, was pounding in her chest.Did he know that Sirius was alive, and here?Was that why he was here?

"Are you aware that at ten o'clock this morning, Sirius Black was killed by one Severus Snape, a professor at Hogwarts?"

"No," she lied."Was anyone else hurt?"

"No," he said, looking at her confusedly."Black was your husband, was he not?"

"He was," she said coldly. "Surely you do not think I was assisting him?"

"Oh, no," Archer said hurriedly."The thing is – you see – " he swallowed and looked at his paper."Two hours later, the Ministry of Magic received proof positive that Sirius Black never – never committed any of the crimes he was imprisoned for."

"What?" Jenny stared at him. "You what?"

"I'm afraid that Black was innocent," Archer said.

"You sent an innocent man to Azkaban?"Jenny didn't have to act anger here; she was furious as she stared at this little man, nervously shuffling papers in his hands, remembering all those lost years.

"We – we – the evidence pointed to him, of course," Archer babbled."And everyone thought he was insane, you know.The Department just sent me to inform you, since you are Black's next-of-kin, I suppose.I'm sure there'll be some sort of reparations, of course." 

"Reparations?"Jenny stared at him."You sent an innocent man to Azkaban.You ruined who knows how many lives and you think you can make _reparations?"_She glared at him. "I want you to leave, now."Archer's mouth worked but no sounds came out.He stood hurriedly and walked to the door, glancing nervously back at her now and then.Jenny followed him to the door and slammed it behind him, then collapsed onto the sofa.

"What was that all about?"

She glanced up.Sirius was standing in the entrance of the room.He crossed and sat down beside her.

"I head you yelling, and then the door slammed, so I thought I could come and find out what happened."

Jenny sighed."Some idiot from the Ministry.They know you're innocent, Sirius."

"What?"He started up and looked at her."How?"

"He said they got information shortly after your 'death'."She brushed a strand of hair out of her face and went on."He was here to apologize, I think.I got rather testy with him, lost my temper."

"It sounds like something Voldemort would do," Sirius said.Seeing her puzzled look, he went on."Giving them information like that _after_ I was, er, killed.It's designed to make the Ministry look bad, can't you see?"

"Of course," Jenny agreed."Though they don't need much help with that.But I probably did go a bit overboard… I was so angry, he was saying something about 'reparations'… as if they could pay a bit and make everything fine.How are they going to give you back those twelve years?And what about me, and Harry, and Remus?"Her voice began to rise again until it seemed she was on the point of either tears or curses.

"They what?"Sirius stared at her. "That's absurd!I'd like to throw a few of them in that hellhole for twelve years, chase them across England, and try to kill them, for a start."

"That sounds just about right," Jenny agreed."And while we're at it, shun the rest of the Ministry for things they can't help.All these self-righteous little bureaucrats, where were they fourteen years ago?Hiding in their holes, afraid to come out!If it hadn't been for people like you, and Remus, and – and James and Lily, I'd like to see where their precious Ministry would be now!They're finding out now just how much they need us, aren't they?"

"I suppose we're being a bit hard," Sirius sighed, sitting back.

"I don't think so," Jenny said stubbornly. "After all we've been through, and done, I don't think it's possible to be too hard on people like that."

"And what was our alternative?"Sirius looked her in the eye and spoke in a much calmer tone."Let Voldemort win?We made our choices, Jenny, and everyone else made theirs, and there's no changing what's happened."

"No," Jenny agreed. "I wish we could.I wish we could go back and fix things…"

"So do I," Sirius agreed."So do I."

The Floo Powder had its customary effect on Harry – it made him feel slightly ill as it dumped him into the Weasleys' grate.Harry saw several people as blurs – his glasses had come off and he put them back on quickly.

"Harry!"Ron looked shocked, then hurried over to help pull him out of the fireplace."What're you doing here?"He was interrupted by Remus' arrival."Professor Lupin?"

"Long story, Ron," Harry said."Ah, I'm wondering if it would be all right for me to stay with you?Not for long, just a few days or so…"

"Of course dear."Mrs. Weasley hurried over and began brushing Harry off. "I'm so glad you came.In fact I was going to send Arthur for you tonight, I was so worried about you, poor dear.You must be horribly shocked."

"About what?" Harry asked, staring up at her.Her face was full of concern over his welfare.It was an expression he was getting just a bit more used to now.

"You don't know?" Ron asked."About Sirius, I mean?"

"What?"Harry thought for a minute, then realized."Oh, right, you think he's dead too."

"What?"Now Ron looked puzzled."Snape killed him this morning, we were there."

"So was I," Remus put in."I'm glad our little deception worked so well.Sirius is fine, Ron."

"Thank goodness," said another voice.Mr. Weasley stood in the hall; apparently he had just gotten home. " The Ministry's in such an uproar.Black's been cleared – posthumously, they think.It'll be a huge disgrace once the Daily Prophet gets hold of it."

"Don't tell anyone," Remus said hurriedly."It's rather complicated, but no one's to know Sirius is alive, for a while at any rate."

"Wait a minute," Harry said.An odd look was on his face."If they know Sirius is innocent, did they arrest Snape for murder?"

"No," Mr. Weasley said."They said there was no way he could have been expected to know that Black was innocent.He won't be getting the Order of Merlin, though."

"Too bad," Harry said, grinning."Anyway, I have to stay here, Sirius said, until –well, for a day or two."

"Of course you may," Mrs. Weasley said."Ron, help him haul his trunk up to your room.Get your brothers to help."

"Mum, they're out back testing something explosive," Ron told her."Harry and I can get it.Come on, Harry, I've got a tank of Double-Ended Newts I want to show you." 

** **

** **

**This part is rather shorter than I'd like, but I've been having writer's block… let's see, this part advances the story by what, three hours?It's getting to feel like _Wheel of Time,_ where most of the books seem to be five thousand pages and it's still the same week.**

** **

**There, that was my pointless comment for this note.Ah, J.K. Rowling rules!(The new biography of her stinks though, so don't bother to buy it, just read it at the bookstore like I did.)The part with the picture album was inspired by a gorgeous picture at the UHPFC, one of BJ's of course. It's the picture that was mentioned in PoA, the one of Lily and James' wedding day.That girl is more talented than the illustrator of the books!**

** **

**Ok, done rambling.I hope to have more up before my vacation!**

** **

**KB**


	10. Default Chapter Title

## Aurors Part X

Well, in just over a month I've written ten parts, probably about 50,000 words.I have almost no idea what's going to happen after this part, just so you know.This is another rather short part, but with an insanely long note at the end which you don't really need to read but might like anyway.

It took Remus quite some time to get away from the Weasleys'.Molly insisted on giving him tea, and Arthur pressed him for details on a number of things, and in exchange telling him about recent goings-on at the Ministry.

"It's a very good thing that Dumbledore's there now," he remarked."Would have just fallen to pieces otherwise, once Fudge left. There's still no sign of him anywhere, not that we've got many people looking for him.Too many other things to worry about."

"How is Dumbledore going to manage once Hogwarts starts again?" Remus asked.He thought quickly, trying to remember the date."That's, what ten days?"

"Yes," Arthur sighed."He said he's got everything taken care of, but I don't know… he may be a great wizard but he can't do everything."

Remus found it necessary to tell Molly and Arthur about the plan to kidnap Harry.

"That's horrible," Molly said."How could they!Well, we'll take good care of him, don't worry."She looked a bit worried herself though. 

"Will you need any help?" Arthur asked. "I could get some Hit Wizards there before midnight…"

"No, that isn't a good idea," Remus said firmly."Voldemort would be sure to find out. I don't really like the plan," he admitted, "but it'll work."_I hope,_ he added to himself."I really must get back now."He stood up and put his cup down on the wooden table."Thank you very much for the tea."

"You're quite welcome," Molly said."Do let us know that everything's all right, won't you?"She had a 'motherly' look on her face.

"Of course," Remus assured her.He walked to the fireplace."I forgot to bring any Floo Powder with me," he realised."Can I borrow some?"

"Certainly," Arthur said.He took down a flowerpot from the mantle and offered it to Remus.

"Thank you," Remus said.He took a pinch and threw it into the fire.As the flames turned green, he stepped in.

A minute later he stumbled out of the grate.There was no sound in the kitchen.Long shadows fell across the floor from the late afternoon sun.It felt very still.A bit concerned, Remus went through to the living room.

Sirius looked up as he came in."Oh, good, you're back," he said, sounding relieved."We were starting to wonder what was taking so long."

"Well, Harry's safe now," Remus said.He sat down, feeling very tired.

"Do you need some tea?" Jenny asked, getting to her feet.

"Oh, no," Remus said hurriedly."I had about four cups at the Weasleys', Molly just kept filling it up again."

"All right then," Jenny said with a grin, sitting back down."I think we could all use some chocolate and a meal before too long though."

"Let's save the chocolate for after tonight, please," Remus said."We might need it then."

"No, we won't," Sirius said, but not very convincingly.

"I told the Weasleys you were all right," Remus related."They were quite worried, you know. They said they're glad to have Harry for as long as necessary."

"Good," Jenny said.She looked relieved."I'm glad he's safe, at least."

"We'll all be fine," Sirius assured her.He still didn't seem very confident.

The shadows lengthened and the light slowly vanished.Jenny turned the lamps on and sat back down as they passed the time in small talk.

"When this is all over, you should talk to those Dursleys," Jenny remarked, scowling out the window at their house."They haven't improved a bit since Lily had to deal with them, and they treat Harry abominably."

"It'll be a pleasure," Sirius said, smiling in a way that would have made Dudley faint had he seen it."Harry told me that he, ah, told them some things about me."

"Midnight, right?" Remus said from his chair."That's when the Death Eaters are coming, that is?"

"Yes," Sirius said."At least Lestrange says so."

"When did you last check on her?" Jenny asked suddenly."I keep worrying that she'll escape."

"She's completely under control," Sirius said, shrugging."I checked back when that idiot from the Ministry was here."

"All right then," she said."And everything we discussed is in place, I checked that already.We're about as ready as we'll ever be."

"Two more hours." Sirius looked at the clock.Time continued to trickle past, slowly but surely.

Time seemed t slow down other places, too. Harry found himself glancing at the clock (not the one with things like "you're late" on it, a normal one) continuously, worrying.What if there were too many Death Eaters?If they killed Sirius… he didn't want to think about that.Sirius was, for one thing, his last chance to have a real home.Not to mention the fact that he liked Sirius, and Remus, and Jenny though he didn't know her nearly as well.He didn't like to think of Voldemort killing any of them.

He began to think about his parents as he and Ron watched the twins argue with their mother about 'Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes' – Ron said they'd had the same discussion about twelve times this summer. He didn't know his parents, he never had.But he knew their friends, and by now he had a pretty good idea what they must have been like.It didn't seem fair that Voldemort had taken them from him.

What would it have been like to grow up with his parents? It certainly would have been better than life with the Dursleys.He might have had brothers and sisters the way Ron did.He certainly wouldn't have had to sleep in a cupboard for ten years.

"Why are you so jumpy?" Ron asked as his mother began to launch into a litany about how running a joke shop was beneath them, why couldn't they join the Ministry like Percy.Harry started.

"Just worried about Sirius," he said.He'd already told Ron everything they had planned. "And, well, I really am relieved not to be there when Vol- sorry, You-Know-Who, is coming after me."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "That'd sure scare me, all right.Why didn't you just write to Dumbledore, anyway?"

"Ah," Harry began.He stopped."I don't think Sirius thinks that way," he said finally."Or Remus.I mean, as far as I can tell they've both been pretty much out of society for most of the past fourteen years.I guess they just think they have to do everything by themselves."

"Maybe it's just habit," Ron said. "I guess people who hide secrets like they did are just naturally –"

Whatever he would have said was cut off by a thump against a window.Mrs. Weasley started, breaking off in mid-rant.Fred hurried over and opened the window.

"It's an owl," he said unnecessarily as he pulled the bird inside."Addressed to dad."He handed the letter to his father, who opened it.

"From Dumbledore," Mr. Weasley said, reading the message."Seems he knows we've got Harry and wants to make sure everything's fine.I tell you, that man knows everything."He shook his head admiringly. "Amazing man, Dumbledore.Oh, and I have to go up to London tomorrow Molly."

"Tomorrow?"She looked a bit dismayed."We were going to go shop for the children, get them ready for school, Arthur," she reminded her husband.

"You'll have to do that alone, I'm afraid," Mr. Weasley said."If Dumbledore needs me,"

"You've got to go, yes I know," Mrs. Weasley finished. " All right, of course you do."She looked at the clock. " Oh my!All of you, off to bed!It's nearly midnight and we want an early start tomorrow."

"Mum!" Ron said feebly, but got up and headed for the stairs, Harry trailing him.

Back at Number Six Privet Drive, Sirius, Remus and Jenny were waiting anxiously for the Death Eaters.Jenny had turned out most of the lights and pulled the curtains tightly across the windows.All three of them were standing now, near the door, wands drawn.

At five past twelve, there was a knock on the door.Remus looked at his tight-faced friends.

"I'll get it," he said softly and, taking two steps forward, pulled the door open.

Several dark, hooded shapes stood on the step.From where they were, Jenny was the only one visible.

"The boy is ready then?" one said in a cold, harsh tone.Jenny nodded. 

"Come inside so the neighbors don't see," she said. They moved slowly into the house. There were five of them; not too bad odds, but not great either.

The one in the lead stopped suddenly, seeing Sirius."What's going on?" he asked, but that was as far as he got, because Jenny stuck out her wand and screamed "Stupefy!" as loudly as she could.He fell backward into his comrades, who struggled to get clear. 

Remus slammed the door shut and pointed his wand at them, trying to get a clear shot.He was about to curse the one nearest to him when Sirius put the Full-Body Bind on him.

It was three to three now, but unfortunately the Death Eaters who were left had gotten their wands out and held them level.One threw a nasty hex; Remus blocked it deftly and was glad for the time he'd spent practicing.

Suddenly another Death Eater was done; no one knew who had eliminated him. 

"Put down your wands," Sirius growled as he leveled his at the throat of the nearest Death Eater.

"Black," the man said."Snape was supposed to deal with you.He said he had."He sounded amazed that Sirius was alive, and Sirius grinned.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm quite alive."He held his wand steady."However, I consider all of your ilk responsible for a lot of things, including my twelve years in Azkaban.If you and your friend don't drop your wands, I'm going to start evening the score."

The Death Eater seemed to consider this, then tossed the wand aside.His companion, after a moment's more hesitation, did likewise.

"Jordan Lestrange!" Jenny gasped as she saw the first Death Eater's face for the first time."I recognize you now."

"We've got your wife too," Sirius said."And, Lestrange, I owe you personally a good deal.So don't tempt me."As he spoke, he bound both Lestrange and the other man with cords shot from his wand.Remus had already done the same to the incapacitated Death Eaters.

"How are we supposed to get all these to Diagon Alley?" Jenny asked, prodding the petrified one with a toe."Plus dear Marissa, of course."

"The Knight Bus?" Sirius suggested."Do you think they'd take six bound prisoners?"

"No," Jenny said firmly. "I'd say we should call Dumbledore."

"I'll do that," Remus volunteered."Too many questions if you did it and someone else was there, Sirius."

"Right," Sirius said.

"I'll go fetch Marissa then," Jenny said, smiling coldly as she headed for the basement.A few minutes later she returned, chivvying the reluctant Marissa at wand point.The woman took one look at her husband, bound and glaring fiercely at Sirius, and turned on Jenny.She was met with a wand in her chest.

"Go right ahead and make my day."Jenny smiled sweetly and chilling, at the same time.Marissa subsided and didn't even protest as she was tied the way her husband had been.

"Dumbledore's coming himself," Remus reported as he emerged from the kitchen."He didn't say who he was brining with him but did say you needn't hide, Sirius."

"Good," Sirius growled, staring at their prisoners."I am rather hoping that one of these sodding sons of –"

"Sirius," Jenny said warningly, but she didn't seem to really mean it as she too stared cold-eyed at them.

"Anyway, Dumbledore will be here soon," Remus said."I think he was expecting my call, actually; he didn't seem too surprised to see me or to hear what we'd done."

"Well, how did he know?" Sirius asked."We didn't tell him."

"I think he knows a lot more than he lets on," Jenny mused, wand still pointed at Marissa's head."He – good heavens, is that him already?"She pulled open the door.

It was Dumbledore, and Snape, and several Ministry workers who had been at Dumbledore's meeting.They turned immediately to the Death Eaters, but Dumbledore looked at Sirius, Remus and Jenny.It was a gaze they all (mostly Sirius) knew from their Hogwarts days, and it seemed designed to make the recipient glance at his feet and shift uncomfortably.

"Ah, would you come in, Professor," Jenny said brightly.Dumbledore smiled and the temperature in the room seemed to increase slightly.

"Yes, thank you."The four seated themselves in the living room.Snape followed unasked and sat as well, as far as he could from Sirius and Remus.

"Well," Dumbledore said after a moment in which nobody looked at anyone else, "would you care to explain why you called me at midnight telling me you'd just captured six Death Eaters?"

"Because we'd just captured six Death Eaters," Jenny said in an odd tone.It seemed as if she were trying not to laugh.Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling, but his tone was firm, and Snape didn't seem to find any of this amusing at all.

"I would like you to explain just how this can about," Dumbledore said firmly.With a collective sigh, the three began taking turns, explaining everything.

"And so we called you," Remus concluded finally.The Ministry men had taken the Death Eaters off long ago, the twinkle in Dumbledore's eye was still more pronounced, and Snape's scowl was just as dark.

"You realize that had any of the Death Eaters escaped you," Dumbledore addressed himself to Sirius, "they would have told their master you are still alive, which would have resulted in some uncomfortable questions for Severus?"

Sirius opened his mouth to speak but Jenny rushed in ahead of him.

"Well, actually we never considered that," she stated."We'd come up with our plan before we found out that he had to fake his death."She frowned at him."You don't honestly think that any of us would actually want Voldemort to find out you're a spy, do you?"She spoke the last to Snape.He looked rather uncomfortable before speaking for the first time that night.

"I hardly know what you would wish," his eyes fixed Sirius' with a cold glare, "But I will admit that I doubt you intended to put my position in danger."

"It worked, didn't it?" Sirius said, frowning."Harry's out of danger and we captured six Death Eaters. And everyone still thinks I'm dead."

"Yes, it worked," Dumbledore agreed. "And that's a good thing, because I need all three of you.One of my other sources – not Snape – has been in contact with a Death Eater who says she wants to help us.She insists that Remus be her 'contact' – I'm sending you to meet her tomorrow."Remus looked at Dumbledore; he felt there was something the old man was not saying, but he nodded. "Jenny, if you could keep writing articles, that's been working very well for us."

"Articles?" Sirius asked her, looking puzzled.

"I'll explain later," she said."Of course I can.I'm rather enjoying it."

"Good.And Sirius, since you're officially dead, I think you'd better keep out of sight for a while.I've got some jobs for you to do that I think you'll find interesting."Dumbledore finally smiled."And I must admit, you three did a fine job here tonight."He stood."Coming, Severus?"

## The End (For now, of course.)

# Somewhere in the Eastern United States, a teenage girl sits hunched over a keyboard.Every now and then she glances nervously at a clock and steps up her furious typing.Finally, she sits back, sighs, and smiles.

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# And there we go.Another story all wrapped – 

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# Sister: Hey!We're leaving!

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_Me: Just another minute – wait, it's nowhere near time yet!The flight's not until five in the morning!_

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_Sister: We're staying at a hotel tonight, or do you want to be up at two?_

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_Me: Right.Just a sec, almost done.Anyway, disclaimer is standard, you all know it already.I'll be-_

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_Sister: What the heck are you doing?You want to be left behind?_

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_Me: I've got a responsibility, you know. Can't just slope off to Hawaii without letting my readers know.It's like a contract or something. _

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_Sister: You've really lost it. _(They really do think this)

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_Me: Have not.Okay, sorry you won't find out what happens nextfor a while, but as I said I'm headed for Hawaii – Waikiki Beach, look out!I'll be back around the 23rd of August, but don't expect a story right off because I'm not taking my computer along.I might get to write, but I don't know… and then school starts again two days after I get home. Anyway, to, er, forget your name, the one who's something like 'Rowan' who's been giving me great long reviews, if you see this, I want to write to you, after I get back, so keep your eye out._

_ _

_ _

_Sister: Sheesh, why don't you just tell them what's gonna happen and put them out of their misery?That way they won't have to read your stories anymore._

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_Me: I resent your implications.However, good readers, I shall endeavor to have something for you before September the First.And I'll be thinking of you in Hawaii, as I soak in the sun and try to forget 'Snuffles'. I'm still traumatized over that one. (WolfieTwins – facing my fear has not helped one bit yet.)_

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_Sister: Bye, Kate.We're headed off for-_

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_Me: NO!Wait!I'm coming already…._

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_The girl saves her work, uploads, and rushes furiously down the driveway to catch up with the very crowded car as her siblings begin a rousing rendition of "One Million Bottles of Butterbeer on the Wall".Off key._

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_This is going to be a _very_ long plane ride._


	11. Default Chapter Title

# 

At long, long last, more!I'm truly very sorry for the delay but between this, another story you'll be seeing soon –it's just one piece and all but finished, so don't worry -, school starting again, and trying my best to learn how to drive it took way longer than expected.Hope you enjoy it!

Since it has been so long, a brief refresher; in the last part, Harry was left with the Weasleys, Sirius, Remus and Jenny captured five Death Eaters and turned them over to Dumbledore, who's now heading the Ministry as well as Hogwarts.Dumbledore had special assignments for Sirius and Remus; Remus is to meet with a Death Eater who's willing to perhaps switch sides, and Sirius' task is yet to be revealed.The story opens with Remus about to meet the Death Eater….

Remus glanced down at his watch, sighed, and picked up his glass.It was almost noon, and he'd had only three hours' sleep the night before.His eyes flickered around the bar of the Leaky Cauldron; he had a table to himself, and had been nursing a drink for three-quarters of an hour.He hoped his contact would show up soon.

Dumbledore had been able to give him very little information about the woman he was supposed to be meeting, except that she would make contact with him between eleven and noon, at the Leaky Cauldron.From there, he'd be playing it by ear.

A shadow fell across his table.He looked up and froze.

"Mind if I join you?" the woman asked.He was unable to answer, staring at her with deep loathing.His hand had gone to his wand as soon as he saw her face.She noticed that.

"I see you remember me."She sighed."But listen for just a moment, please. I asked to have you come-"

"You?" He stared at her, realizing."You're the person I'm supposed to meet?"She nodded. "Sit down," he said in a low voice."And explain exactly why I should trust you, Reesa.The last time I saw you you had been captured by the Ministry for spying.And that was more than fifteen years ago."

"I know," she said sadly."I was so young then.I won't pretend that I didn't know what I was doing, but you have to understand… but you won't, will you?You'd never be able to see why I had to do what I did… so I won't try to convince you."

"Enough of this talk," he said roughly. "You really want to help the Ministry?"

Reesa nodded."I'll do what I can," she said."But I'm afraid of the Death Eaters, Remus. I want to get away from them."

"I'll tell Dumbledore that," he stated. "Now, do you have any information for us?'he was well aware of how cold his voice sounded and how harsh his face must look.

"Nothing until I have some guarantees," she said just as firmly – but Remus noticed that she looked a bit paler than before and wondered if she'd expected to find him an easier target than this.Did she think he still cared for her?She was wrong if she did. His hand was still on his wand as he rose."We'll get in contact with you."

"No.I'll be here a week from now, at eight in the morning."Her voice was still firm and the paleness was gone from her face. "You can tell me then what your answer is – and don't send anyone else.Do you want my help or not?"With that she too rose, turned her back on Remus, and walked off.Remus watched her out of the room before heading more slowly for the fireplace.

~~

When Remus got back to Privet Drive, he could hear raised voices inside Number Six.He groaned aloud and hurried up the steps.Jenny and Sirius were arguing again, obviously.The words were not distinguishable.He opened the door and ducked inside.They were both in the living room and neither seemed to notice Remus come in, as their argument did not cease or slacken.

"No, I don't think you can take care of yourself!" Jenny was saying."Look what you did this afternoon, you're supposed to be dead, you know.Dead men don't go around threatening Muggles!"

"I owed that to Harry," Sirius growled."Besides, Dumbledore asked you to keep writing your articles – and why didn't you tell me about that?"

"I never got around to it," she stated.Remus did not want to walk into the middle of their fight.He'd done that once or twice before and hadn't enjoyed the experience. He didn't want to eavesdrop, but they were hardly giving him a choice. Jenny was continuing."And I can write just as well while I'm traveling around with you as when I'm sitting at home worried to death that you'll be captured or injured or worse."

"Some way you have of showing concern!You nearly knocked me out five minutes ago!"

"With a pillow?I never thought that Sirius Black, the famed Gryffindor Beater, would be afraid of a pillow."Her tone was highly sarcastic; Sirius growled something in reply but Remus didn't catch it. He was glad and only wished he couldn't hear any of this argument; he was embarrassed to be listening at all. Again Jenny's reply pulled him quickly from his thoughts."Oh really? Well, I should hope-"

"So you want to come along?"Sirius sounded amused now."You don't even know what Dumbledore wants me to do, and he told me not to tell anyone."

"I don't count, I'm your wife.And yes, I'm coming along, wherever it is."

"I really won't be gone long, and I'm sure everything is really fine," Sirius said."There's no need for you to come."There was a pause, and then Jenny, in a very different voice, said, 

"The last time you said those words and left, I didn't see you again for fourteen years."Her voice broke at the end and Remus heard small choked noises, like the breathing of someone who's trying not to weep.Then that stopped too and there was silence for a long moment. Remus had had enough. Clearing his throat, he stepped into the living room.He stopped short in the door.Whatever he had expected to see, it wasn't this; Sirius and Jenny were in each other's arms, locked in a tight embrace.Neither noticed Remus for a moment.

"Moony!" Sirius said when at last he did notice Remus."You're back soon.Did it go well, then?"

"Perhaps," Remus said.

"How much of that did you hear?" Jenny asked pointedly.

"A bit," he admitted."Sirius, what did you do this afternoon?"

"Just spoke to that uncle of Harry's," he said lightly.Jenny rolled her eyes.

"He threatened to turn the Dursleys into frogs if they ever so much as spoke roughly to Harry again."She held up her hand, ticking off Sirius' offenses on her fingers."He let them know who he was."She folded down another finger. "He sent a horde of Cornish Pixies through the garden, trashing the place, where any Muggle on the block could have seen.So the Dursleys are hiding in their house, afraid to leave, and their garden's a mess."She smiled at this, apparently unable to help herself. "I tried to tell him how stupid that all was but he wouldn't listen to me; maybe you could get through to him, Remus."

"You do realize you're dead, right?" Remus asked, turning to Sirius."And that terrorizing Muggles is against the law?"

"Well, if I'm dead they can hardly arrest me," Sirius said, grinning."Come on Moony, lighten up.They had it coming to them."

"So that was half the argument," Remus said, looking back at Jenny."What was the rest?"

"Dumbledore's sending me on a mission for him," Sirius said quickly."A secret mission and I'm not allowed to tell anyone –not even you –anything about it."He glanced quickly at Jenny who was frowning again.

"I'm going too," she declared.

"No, you're not.Dumbledore would have my head."

"Well, you don't have to tell him," Jenny pressed."I'm certainly not spying for Voldemort!"

"Wait a minute, Jenny," Sirius said, holding up his hand."Let's hear what happened with Remus first."

Wearily, Remus began his story.They both looked shocked when he told them that his contact had been Reesa.

"I thought she was in prison!" Jenny said after a minute of silence.

"I knew she wasn't in Azkaban… thought perhaps she'd been banished or was dead."Sirius looked grave."Have you been to Dumbledore yet?"

"Of course, just after I left the Leaky Cauldron."Remus frowned slightly."He agreed with me that it could be a trap but says we must take the opportunity in case it's not.So I'll be meeting Reesa again soon, I suppose."

"That's not right," Jenny said firmly. "Can't they get someone else?"

"She won't meet with anyone else."Remus knew some of his puzzlement showed on his face but didn't say anything else, leaving his friends to wonder the same things he did.Why was Reesa doing this?Did she genuinely want to help?And why him, why not any of the other people working for Dumbledore?"What about you?" he asked instead."When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow," Sirius said."And I really shouldn't have told you even that, it's so secret, but you certainly aren't going to broadcast it anywhere."

"Of course not," Remus said quickly."Now, if you two don't mind I'm going to be going home now.I've got about a day until the next thing I have to do and no doubt the roof is falling in by now."

"Sure you won't stay to dinner?" Jenny asked.

"No, I'm sure."Remus stood. " I just came by to let you know how things went."

"All right then, Moony."

When Remus had gone, Jenny turned back to her husband and smiled."Sirius, I've decided that if you don't want me to come with you that's fine."Sirius looked relieved but she held up a hand."But I will be following you anyway.So you can decide for yourself which you want."

"Jenny, this mission is absolutely top secret," he began."Dumbledore's trusting me with a lot here."

"Which is exactly why you should take me.Now, listen to me a minute.I already know you're going abroad and as a Muggle; that's what that stupid little passport thing is for, and the plane ticket you left inside while you were yelling at Vernon Dursley. The thing is, Voldemort's agents may find out that you're not dead and be looking for you, but it's not likely they'll be looking for us both.A little bit of disguise and we'd be just another vacationing Muggle couple.Nobody would suspect anything."

Sirius just looked at her; he could not help but admit that her plan made sense."What about your articles, though," he persisted.

"I'll write them and post them back to the Prophet."She smiled more broadly."And does that mean you've accepted the inevitable?"

"I suppose so," he said."I just hope Dumbledore doesn't find out…"

~~

Heathrow Airport was very crowded, full of Muggles rushing about like mad carrying suitcases, laptop computer cases, purses, portable CD players... almost anything.One man seemed to be trying to check a crate of chickens, saying they were his pets and he'd never leave them with anyone while he was gone a whole two weeks.There was so much confusion that Sirius, who had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to actually do in an airport, didn't stand out much.

"What are we supposed to do with our luggage, carry it?" he asked Jenny.She frowned and put down her bag, pulling a book from her purse. It was _A Wizard's Guide to Muggle Travel, Fifteenth Edition_.She flipped to the index, ran her finger down the list of words, and turned to page seventy-five.

"Large items are to be checked through," she told him. "Like what that guy is doing with the chickens."

"Our stuff isn't in crates, though," Sirius pointed out.

"Neither is theirs."She nodded at a whole family of Muggles.The mother was chastising the harried looking clerk ferociously."-What do you mean we've got too much luggage, have you ever tried packing for a whole family for two weeks?"She had two children and a rather henpecked husband with her. "You're almost as bad as the cab driver, he wouldn't even help us carrying our bags in!"

Jenny turned her attention back to the book."It says not to put anything too important, like your wand, in the luggage you're checking through because the Muggles have a tendency to break stuff – or it might actually be baggage gremlins, the book isn't sure.We have to keep our passports with us, though, and the tickets too – do you have those?" Sirius nodded."Good. All right, we'd better get our bags through then…"She looked doubtful, but Sirius grinned.

"Come on, if Muggles can do it it can't be that hard," he pointed out.

"Yes, I just wish we could go in a more, well, normal way."

"Dumbledore wants me posing as a Muggle," he reminded her."And a trans-Atlantic broom flight is just out of the question."He picked up the luggage and hauled it to the clerk. 

After a brief fiasco in which the luggage clerk insisted they were going to Romania, not America, they were allowed to leave their bags and continue into the terminal. Sirius was mildly interested by the metal detectors.

"Bet Arthur Weasley would love to see these," he remarked.

"Sirius, don't attract attention to yourself," Jenny warned as they searched for their gate."This is blasted confusing.How do all these Muggles know where they're going?"

"That's it."Sirius pointed to a gate where a large throng of people was already congregating.They joined the crowd without attracting any notice.

When they finally were allowed to board the plane, they found that the seats they had been assigned were in a row of three; the aisle seat was to be occupied by someone else.But time passed and the plane began to fill and their seatmate did not appear; it seemed that he was going to miss the flight.At almost the last minute, however, not thirty seconds before the boarding doors were closed, a young man wearing a garish red, white and blue t-shirt rushed down the aisle and collapsed into the seat.He closed his eyes and seemed to ignore the world around him.

It wasn't until they were airborne that he opened his eyes and looked at Sirius and Jenny.

"Oh, hello," he said in an American accent."Seems we're to be seatmates then.My name's Bob, I'm from Delaware."He offered a hand.Sirius, who was seated beside him, shook it as best he could in the confines of their seats."Sir – Cyrus," he corrected himself, remembering that Dumbledore had gotten him the passport and tickets under a false name… his own being both not at all a Muggle name and too conspicuous."And Jenny, my wife."

"Ah."Bob took off his glasses and polished them on his shirt."So you're English then… it must be amazing to really live here.I'd never been _anywhere_ before, but I thought, hey, you're only young once… and I'm going off to college this fall, so I might as well go now."He stopped and took a deep breath, then hurried on."My dad actually paid for the whole trip as a graduation present.I've been all over Europe this summer, did everything.I suppose you've seen it all since you live here."

"Perhaps not quite all," Jenny said but Bob took no notice and just plowed on. 

"Take the castles, they're superb… racks and torturing devices, and holes where they poured boiling lead on invaders, and then places where they burned people for being heretics and witches.Amazing!Have you been to many castles?"

"Oh, one or two."Sirius couldn't help grinning, wondering what this burbling young Muggle would think if he knew that he was talking to two people who not only had lived in a castle but had also studied witch burnings with a rather –different – perspective.He didn't bother to point out that witches were usually not burned in castles, anyway, but in village squares and such where everyone could see.

Bob's effusiveness wore thin very quickly.He just kept talking and talking.And talking. He didn't even seem to notice that his 'listeners' were glaring at him in a way that would have made someone who knew them better –say, Snape – feel rather nervous.Finally, after an eternity, he got up to use the restroom.Jenny and Sirius looked at each other.

"Do something," Jenny pleaded."It's only been twenty minutes and I'm ready to kill that Muggle."

"I could do that," Sirius began, grinning.Jenny rolled her eyes and began to rummage through her purse.After a moment she pulled out a bottle.

"Slip a few drops into his drink," she said. "Just a sleeping potion…. I wasn't sure that we'd be able to sleep well on this trip, since we'll be five hours off.It won't hurt him, but don't give him too much."

"Since when have you brewed potions?"Sirius took the bottle but looked surprised.

"Oh, come on, you can get this anywhere, and I _can_ brew potions.I just don't – oh, here he comes."

Bob continued his narrative from where he'd left off."When I was seven, now, my family moved to our current home from Tucson, Arizona.It…"

Another eternity later the drinks cart came by.When Bob was going through his bag to look for photos of his pet lizards, Sirius slipped the potion into his drink.Bob didn't notice; he drank his Coke quickly and launched into the sad saga of Pete and Phil, the lizards who ran away when he was ten.Halfway through their escapades, he suddenly fell forward, unconscious.

"Good, it worked," Sirius said."I was beginning to wonder."

"Rather too bad; I was wondering what tragic event he was going to tell us about next."Jenny grinned and put her sleeping potion back into her purse."At least I can hear myself think now."

Hours later, the plane began to descend upon Dulles Airport, just outside of Washington, DC.The weary travelers all disembarked – except for Bob, who was still snoozing."Must have given him a little too much." was all Sirius would say when Jenny pointed this out to him.

~~~

Remus stretched and groaned.He glanced at the clock; six in the morning.He sat up as the recollection of what he had to do today flooded back to him.He was to meet Reesa in two hours, find out what she wanted and what she'd do to help them.Another groan escaped him, and he wondered if Sirius' task was any easier.At least he wouldn't have to deal with –well, Reesa.Remus wonder whether Jenny had accompanied Sirius the way she'd wanted.One of her articles had appeared in the Daily Prophet the day before, arguing that now was not the right time to be attacking the Ministry.A lot of people had been very upset when the truth –as they saw it – about Sirius had come out, and there was a lot of anti-Ministry sentiment right now.

An owl rapped on the window, and Remus let it in.It dropped today's paper on his head.He unrolled it and began reading articles, smiling at a few, and frowning at the majority.Then he noticed that the owl had also dropped a letter on the floor and he picked it up eagerly.It was from Sirius.

Dear Moony – this is just to let you know we're here and everything went just fine.I thought perhaps you'd manage to see Harry off at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?I'd wanted to, but it'll be impossible, I'm afraid.If you do go, please tell him I'm sorry I wasn't there to see him off and that I'll do my best to be alive again by next summer so he won't have to go to those relatives of his (Jenny says to add that she doesn't think they'll dare take him back after the, er, conversation I had with them.)

_Anyway, hope to be back in England soon.Hope everything's going fine there._

_ _

Padfoot.

Remus couldn't help grinning as he read the letter.So Jenny had gone with Sirius, and it sounded as if they hadn't landed themselves into too much trouble.That was good to know.September 1st was tomorrow; he'd make sure to get to King's Cross to see Harry off.But right now he had to concentrate on meeting Reesa.He sighed, folded up the letter, and finished getting dressed.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

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**(Of course)**

Disclaimer: Everything from the Harry Potter books is, well, from the Harry Potter books, which were written by J. K. Rowling, of course.That's all hers and I'm just borrowing it…

** **

**More to come soon, I promise. Ah, review if you liked it, and even if you didn't.**


	12. Default Chapter Title

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When Remus got to the Leaky Cauldron, Reesa was already there, seated at a table in the corner.Remus sighed; he'd been hoping, without really admitting to himself that he was, that Reesa would not show up.He ordered a glass of butterbeer and brought it over to where Reesa was sitting.She looked at him and smiled.

"Bit early to be drinking, isn't it?" she asked pleasantly.He frowned back at her and sat down.

"Butterbeer," he said brusquely."You'd have to be a house elf to get drunk on this stuff."

"You can always tell a Hogwarts graduate that way," she said, idly. "Probably nostalgia, I suppose, remembering 'the best time of their lives'."She said this with a scornful note in her voice.Remus wondered why.She said nothing further.

"I've spoken with Dumbledore," he said finally, since she made no move to bring the matter up. 

"And?" she prompted after a moment.

"And – what exactly do you want from us?" Remus asked, guardedly.A quick smile, almost of triumph, crossed her face; apparently she felt she'd won. 

"I want out," she said simply."I want enough money that I can live decently, a new identity, preferably in another country.I know the Ministry can do that easily enough – isn't that right?"

Remus nodded."Not easily, but possible.That's what you want?A new life?"

"Exactly." She was looking at him, but her eyes were slightly unfocused, as if she were seeing something he could not."Remus, you don't understand.All my life, people have known what I am, that my mother was a Siren, and they've treated me like I was – was less than human.The only people who didn't were people like you, who I lied to, who didn't know what I was, and – and the Dark Lord's people. When my brother started trying to recruit me, he had me spend a lot of time with his friends, and they treated me the way they treated each other, even though they knew what I was!It was so wonderful for me… I was young, innocent, I thought they really meant what they said, that they were interested in helping all magical peoples, even though I already knew they didn't like Mud – I mean, Muggle-borns."She looked at him, then away."I really believed it them.. but afterwards, after You-Know-Who had gone, I saw more what they were really like… they didn't care about helping people like me at all, all they wanted was what I could do for them. And I'm sorry I ever helped them.Remus, I'm sorry for what I did to you."There was a tear in her left eye; Remus couldn't help but feel a brief flash of sympathy for her.

"So why are you with them now?" he asked roughly.

"I – I'm afraid of them," she confessed in a low voice."My brother went to Azkaban years back, but he escaped with the others, and he scares me more than any of them except – except You-Know-Who.He –my brother – he threatened me, said he'd kill me if I didn't help them."She gulped."That's why I came to you, Remus.I knew it was dangerous, but I don't want to help them.I just want to get away – and if I can help your side out, well, I'd like that too."

Remus looked at her, considering, for a long moment.Her story had struck chords in him.He, after all, knew what it was like to be an outcast, a sub-human.He knew that Voldemort was capable of saying anything to get someone he could use on his side, and his Death Eaters were the same way.But he also knew that it was quite possible that Reesa was once again a spy, manipulating him the way she had all those years ago, but in a slightly more subtle way.She might know he was a werewolf, that he had faced prejudice all his life.

He mentally shook his head to clear his thoughts, then focused on Reesa again.She was waiting for his answer.

"All right.That's what you want. Now, what can you offer us?"He knew his words sounded harsh, but he wasn't feeling very charitably toward Reesa.He didn't trust her at all; she'd given him no reason to do so.

"I can give you inside information," she began."I'm not high in the councils of You-Know-Who," ­_Good,_ thought Remus, ­_At least she's not trying to make it seem she's important when she's not._"My brother tells me things now and then, when he's – when he's drunk, usually."She shuddered."He drinks a lot, you see, to shut out the – the memories, and his eyes, his eyes are dead."Remus thought instantly of Sirius' cold, empty eyes and felt a jolt of sympathy toward Reesa, until he reminded himself that both she and her brother deserved whatever punishments they had been given."My brother is high up, he talks about the inner circle all the time.He mentions names, I can give those to you."

"Unfortunately, whatever evidence you can give will doubtless be called into question," Remus pointed out."However, unofficially, that sort of information could be useful.What else?"

"I know things about their plans, sometimes, particularly if I'm to help them.I can find out more, but it'll be dangerous."

"You want a lot from us," Remus reminded her. 

"Yes, of course.Safe houses, places You-Know-Who has for our meetings, where the convicts hide out.I know a lot of them, people like me who aren't very important, we get assigned to bring supplies in and keep the spells up."

"That's more promising," Remus said."What about Voldemort's headquarters?Can you help us get into that?"

"I can try," she said, paling, though whether from the idea or the mention of Voldemort's name, Remus couldn't say."I – oh, no!"Her voice dropped and her face went as white as a ghost. "Don't look behind you, but there's a man who just walked in who knows me, he works for the Dark Lord too.If he sees me with you, I'll be killed!"

Remus thought quickly, chancing a glance behind him.Sure enough, he recognized the man behind them as Walden McNair, who was on the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures and who, according to Harry's testimony, was on Voldemort's inner circle.He did not seem to have noticed them yet, but he would, unless Remus did something quickly.

"All right.You stay here or –no, you go out first.Try not to attract his attention.Then if he did see you, and you're asked about it, just say you were there and I sat down, and –well, you can embellish however you like."

"Thank you." She looked very relieved as she stood up, but she pulled her cloak up to hide as much of her face as she could anyway. "We should change where we meet, though.Be at Flourish and Blotts three days from now just before closing."

"I'll be there," Remus promised, and watched as she hurried from the room.He kept his eye on McNair.Why was the man here?His own business?Pleasure? Or was he here to keep an eye on Reesa, and if so, why?To make sure she did as ordered?Or was she sincere about wanting out, and did they suspect?There was no telling.

He finished his drink off, sat for another three minutes, then got up.Halfway to the door, he paused and reconsidered, then turned and went out back to the entrance to Diagon Alley.He was going to see Harry off tomorrow at King's Cross, and he thought it might be nice to give him a gift… especially since he'd missed Harry's birthday. His thoughts cheered him considerably, though he still felt drained from his meeting with Reesa.Smiling, he tapped the brick and entered the busy street.

~~

Sirius already had reservations at a Muggle hotel; they had no trouble 'checking in', as the guidebook informed them the correct phrase was, but there nearly was a problem afterwards.Sirius put his foot down hard when Jenny said she'd go with him "on whatever mysterious errand Dumbledore's sent you on."

"No, you won't," he said."It's bad enough you came this far, but Dumbledore was quite firm that I wasn't to tell anyone, other than the American Secretary of Sorcery, the message he gave me."

"You've got me dying of curiosity here now," she said, "but that's beside the point.How do you know they won't recognize you?And do you really think they'll let you see the whoever he is?"

"Secretary, Jenny.And I've got a few ideas."

"Fine," she said."Fine.I'll sit here and write more articles."She glared at him."And when you get back, tail between your legs – actually, that's not a bad metaphor, for you."She almost smiled there, but stopped herself and sat down, glaring at him once more. "Go on then, but I'm telling you, I'm going to tell you-"

~~

"I told you so."Jenny smiled sweetly. "Didn't I?You've been gone for what, four hours, and you didn't see the Secretary."

"No, I didn't see the bloody Secretary," Sirius growled.It had begun to rain after he'd left, and when he got back to the hotel he was soaked.

"Let me guess.I don't think they recognized you, I doubt most American wizards have even heard of you, so I'd say they've got about as much red tape here in the US as back home at the Ministry."

"That's about the size of it," Sirius agreed."I got sent through one department after another, looking for any way to get to the Secretary, but apparently he doesn't see anyone without an appointment except 'Second Thursday every month-'"

"From ten to two, just like home," Jenny guessed.Sirius nodded."Bureaucracy's the same everywhere – I hear the Muggles have it even worse.So, ready to admit that you need me?"

"If you have a suggestion, I'll listen," Sirius said wearily, running his fingers through his damp hair. 

"First –why didn't Dumbledore just sent this message or whatever by owl post?"

"I'm not entirely sure I should tell you that," Sirius began.

"Sirius, if you can't even trust me!Look, if you need me to help you, you should at least tell me what you're doing."

"You're right; if I can't trust you I can't trust anyone."He thought for a moment, then began again. "It's not just a message, Jenny.It's an offer of alliance between us and the Americans, against Voldemort.There was nearly something similar toward the end of – well, last time, but Voldemort's disappearance happened before it went through.Dumbledore's made me the _de facto_ ambassador to the United States; he'll back up whatever I get the Secretary of Sorcery to agree to, but I have to see the man in person to negotiate and work out the agreement."

"I see," Jenny said levelly."Yes, I see why Dumbledore wouldn't want Voldemort or the Death Eaters to find out.Imagine if someone tried to put the Imperius Curse on you, to get the terms of this treaty more to Voldemort's liking."

"Exactly," Sirius said, the lines of his face hard."We know that there are Death Eaters here in the United States, and it's possible some of them are working for the government, so I can't announce anything like my real purpose."

"Yet you've got to see the Secretary."Jenny seemed to ponder this for a while."Hmm.Perhaps I do have an idea."

~~

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was packed, of course –it always was on September First. Remus wandered a bit, looking for Harry and remembering the seven years he'd gone to Hogwarts on this very train, seven of the happiest years of his life. And, of course, the one year he'd gone back as a teacher….A number of students recognized him waved at him.A smaller number saw him and pointed him out to their parents, frowning.He did his best to ignore these.

"Professor Lupin!"He looked around and saw Hermione Granger behind him, dragging her trunk after her."It's great to see you! Are – are you going to be our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher again?"

"I'm afraid not, Hermione," he said, smiling."I don't know who you'll have, but I hope you'll have better luck with him than with your last few.Now, I was looking for Harry."

"He's with the Weasleys; they aren't here yet."She smiled at him, and he noticed that her teeth were much smaller than they had been."They usually show up about five minutes before the train leaves."

"I see."Remus was going to say more but just then the Weasley twins popped through the barrier like a pair of jack-in-the-boxes. 

"Professor Lupin!" they chorused."Are you coming back? We hope so."

"No, I'm not."Remus couldn't help smiling almost as widely as the twins; their enthusiasm was contagious, just as James and Sirius had been years ago.

Then Ron and Harry appeared after them; Ron's mouth popped open and Harry grinned more broadly than Fred and George.

"Professor Lupin!"Harry and Ron both left their trunks and joined the small throng around Remus.

"Are you coming-" Ron began, and Remus shook his head for the third time.

"I'm afraid not, Ron.I just came to see Harry off."

"That's great too," Harry said, glancing around."Ah, did Sirius?"He let his question trail off.

"Sirius is doing something for Dumbledore right now," Remus replied."He asked me to come for him, though."He gave Harry a package, and Harry stared at it.

"What is it?" he asked.

"A late birthday present for you."Remus looked around at all the happy faces and wished that he was going with them to teach them."I just wanted to wish you a good term."

"Well, I'm sure it'll be better than last term," Harry remarked, and Remus saw something behind his words, something sad.He realized that Harry had grown up in the past year, grown up quite a bit, and wasn't sure what to say.He put his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"I don't think I told you this," he said quietly, "But what you did last year – your father would have been proud of you.Your mother too."

Harry smiled, a bit sadly, and nodded.After that there was really nothing to say.Remus helped them load their trunks, animal cages, and other belongings into an otherwise empty care, then waved as the scarlet engine began to chug off. 

"It's always a bit hard to watch them off," said a voice at his elbow.He turned and saw Mrs. Weasley there, her handkerchief in hand."Wondering whether they behave, and do well, and, well, this year seems worse than other times…"

"Yes," Remus agreed."Suppose it must have been rather the same when my parents saw me off; You-Know-Who was starting to gain a lot of power in my last few years."

"Yes, I know."Mrs. Weasley sighed."Sometimes I wonder if Harry can really know what he's been facing, since he doesn't remember those days…"

"I think he knows," Remus said softly, watching the train fade into the distance."I think that Harry knows a lot better than most people."

~~

"May I help you?"A pretty young receptionist looked up from her desk, smiling.She saw a woman, no longer young, dressed a bit flashily and carrying a notebook, a large purple quill, and a wand.

"Yes."Jenny smiled and flashed a card. A little work had made it look authentic to any but the most severe scrutiny, and her false identity was all worked out."I'm Rita Skeeter, a journalist from England, and the _Daily Prophet_ sent me here to write a piece about the way you operate over here.My readers just love hearing about foreign countries, you know."

"Oh."The girl looked impressed."I see, Ms. Skeeter. Well, how may I help you?"

"Thank you so much, Iris."Jenny read the girl's nameplate and smiled."I was just wondering if you could give me some information about which departments are in the building, and I'll go from there."

"I see."The girl began to pick up some papers, but then her eyes fell on the great black dog by Jenny's side."I'm afraid dogs aren't allowed in here, Ms. Skeeter."

"Oh, I'm sorry."Jenny flashed another smile. ­_Good thing this woman doesn't know the real Rita Skeeter,_ she thought to herself. "I like to bring him along on my interviews and such.Sometimes I interview rather shady people and he makes me feel so much safer, he looks so threatening, don't you think?"She rumpled the dog's ears."Still, my Snuffles wouldn't hurt anyone." The dog growled just a bit, as if in protest to some or all of this last statement."Are you sure he can't come?"

"I'm afraid so."Iris tried not to smile, apparently amused at the thought of a dog like this being named 'Snuffles'."He'll have to stay outside."

"I understand."Jenny turned and led the dog toward the door.As she opened it, she lost her grip on her purse, which fell and hit the ground.A large puff of brightly colored smoke appeared from it, obscuring everything for a moment; then it dissolved and she shut the front door.

"I'm so sorry about that smoke," she said as she crossed back to Iris' desk."My last interview was at a joke shop.I must have forgotten to get rid of all the smoke bombs and such, but it's harmless."

"Oh, that's no problem," Iris said, and gave her a brief rundown of what went on in this building, not really listening but making perfunctory notes now and then.

Meanwhile Sirius had, under cover of the smoke, padded up the marble stairs.It was quite here; everyone seemed to be in his office and the doors were all closed. No one noticed the dog.At the end of the hall was the office he was looking for, the one that belonged to the Secretary of Sorcery.It was slightly ajar and easy to push open with his nose; he stuck his head around the corner.

The office was completely empty.Puzzled, he withdrew his head and looked at the nameplate.Yes, this was the Secretary's office.Then he noticed something he hadn't before, as it was well above his current eye level; a sign, made of cardboard and hung on the door with a piece of string, a child's crayon drawing of a happy face and some flowers, bearing the words 'Gone Out, Backson.' 

Sirius, of course, didn't know that the Secretary was a devoted father who displayed his daughter's artwork everywhere, nor that said daughter was six and a devotee of 'Winnie the Pooh', where the sign's motto had come from.All he knew was that, apparently, all his and Jenny's planning had been in vain, because the Secretary wasn't there and he could hear footsteps approaching.

"Hey you!" A man carrying a large cup of coffee came out of one of the offices and stared at Sirius."Get out of here, you mutt!"

Sirius growled at him but headed for the stairs; behind him he heard the man following."Hey!Who let this mangy dog in?"

A moment later about six more people popped out of offices to watch.

"I'm allergic to dogs!" one woman shouted, and emphasized this with a sneeze."Get it out now!"Two men eagerly headed after Sirius.

"Catch it, Bob," one suggested."See if it's that crazy Wilma bringing her menagerie in again.If it is, she'll be fired for sure."

"Great; if it's not, I'll take it to the pound; my son works there weekends, you know, his girlfriend's nuts over animals."While they were chatting they'd been cornering Sirius, who was growling and raising his hackles.­_Too bad Prongs wasn't here to help out_. He'd have to get out of here before they caught him.

"Snuffles!How'd you get here?"Jenny was behind the men, doing her best to give off the impression that she didn't have a clue how her big, lovable puppy had caused such an uproar.Behind her the receptionist stood glaring."I'm so sorry, I don't know how he got inside," Jenny said. "We'll just be on our way." 

Jenny led Sirius from the building and down the street until they found a deserted alley where Sirius transformed.

"No luck?" Jenny asked, and Sirius shook his head.

"All that, and the Secretary wasn't there!"He sighed."I've only got one idea left.We've tried working through the red tape, and we've tried getting around it – now I say let's just ignore it."

"What do you mean?What are you planning?"Jenny looked rather apprehensive; Sirius grinned in a very unreassuring way.

"Not much.We just kidnap him."He said this as if it were the most reasonable thing on earth.Jenny opened her mouth, made a few strangled noises, closed it, frowned, and opened it again.

"I really, really hate to say this," she began, looking away from him."But that's actually not a bad idea."She glanced at him as if daring him to say anything, then went on."I suppose you've got some sort of scheme worked out?"

"Yes, I do.All we have to do –assuming you're in on this?"He cocked an eyebrow in query.

"Of course I am."She sighed."Let's hear it."

"Right.Once we've got this Secretary, I can explain that Dumbledore sent me and everything.We should watch him for a few days, figure out his routines, and then we can actually make plans for how to actually, ah, kidnap him."Sirius was grinning."It might be-"

"Don't you dare say fun," she warned."It's certainly a better plan than trying to cut through more red tape."She shook her head."Sometimes I wonder if I knew what I was getting myself into when I married you."

~~

Three days later, Secretary of Sorcery William Thurston – 'Thirsty Bill' to his old friends – came down the marble steps of the Federal Department of Wizardry building in Washington DC.

Thurston walked briskly down the streets toward a jewelry shop; his wife's birthday was the next day and he had to pick up her present, a diamond necklace.After paying for the necklace, he began walking toward the nearest Metro station. As Secretary it was his job to encourage people to do as the FDW asked by following their requests himself.The announcement that all wizards were asked to use Muggle transportation if possible for the rest of the summer had been brought on by an unprecedented amount of magical traveling this year, and the Bureau of Magical Transportation just couldn't handle it… besides, Apparating gave him such a headache.

"Excuse me, sir."Thurston turned to see a woman beside him."You'd be Mr. Thurston, wouldn't you?"She had a foreign accent but was wearing the latest in American wizarding fashion; a high hat bedecked with little sparkling flowers. 

"Yes, I am.Can I help you with anything?"He sincerely hoped this wasn't another mother pleading with him to give her Bobby a job – he'd had enough of those recently.

"Oh, thank you sir.I've been so upset – I was trying to find my way home from shopping, but these Muggle streets are so hard to figure out, and then I saw you and thought, 'Well, a lady can _certainly_ ask a gentleman like you for help', now, can't I?I've even got a map, but I just haven't got the least clue where I am…"The woman went on babbling and Thurston held up a hand to halt the flow.

"If you have a map, ma'am, I can certainly show you where you are, and possibly how to get to your home."

"Oh good.I put all my shopping down over there – it's such a great deal, you know."She led him over to a number of bags and began looking at them doubtfully."I know it's here… not that one – ah, I think it's in there."She began to reach for it but the Secretary smiled graciously.

"Allow me," he said, and grabbed the handle. The next second, he was jerked forward off his feet._Portkey!_ he thought to himself, alarmed.In another second, he lurched to a stop.It obviously hadn't been a long trip.

"Don't," a male voice said as he began to reach for his wand.The Secretary turned slowly.He seemed to be in a Muggle hotel room; behind him, leaning against the bed and half smiling was a dark haired man whose face looked vaguely familiar. A moment later, there was a pop and the woman from the street appeared in the room, smiling and looking not a bit vague.She pulled the hat from her head and glared at it.

"I must say, Mr. Thurston, American women must be awful gooses.The man in the shop said these were all the rage but I assure you they're the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen."

"You!" Thurston raged."If you think this is a joke – do you know who I am?"

"Of course we know who you are," the man said calmly."You're the Secretary of Sorcery."

"I insist you let me out of here this instant."Thurston pulled himself up to his whole six foot three, which was still a good half-head shorter than the man in front of him."I assure you, the Department of Wizardry doesn't take kindly to this sort of thing!"

"We just wanted a word with you," the man explained."Look, if you'll listen to me we'll let you go in five minutes, but there's an awfully important message that Dumbledore gave me for you."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Thurston stared.Whatever he had expected, it wasn't this."Albus Dumbledore, the Supreme Mugwump, the Headmaster of Hogwarts?"

"Yes, that's him," the man agreed."Anyway, it was too important to be trusted to owl.I'd have just come to see you at your office but unfortunately I'm, ah, dead, so it might have caused a stir."

Thurston suddenly recognized the man."You're – you're Sirius Black, aren't you?"

"Guilty," he said, twirling his wand around."If you've heard that much, you might have heard I'm actually not a mass murderer, a traitor, or working for Voldemort – oh, you do that same flinching-at-the-name thing here as in England, that's interesting."

The Secretary tried very hard not to stare at Black, or his wand, which he kept twirling idly. "What message?" he asked at last.

"Dumbledore's pretty sure Voldemort's got an operation going in America, too, Death Eaters and such."Black looked very grim as he said this.

"We suspect the same."This came out very stiffly.

"Yes, I suppose you do.Dumbledore also thinks that Voldemort, or his agents, are going to be attacking you soon, too, and so he's sent me with an offer of alliance."

"Alliance?"

"You help us, we help you, we share all the information we have about Voldemort, our agents work together rather than separately…" Black shrugged. "You're the government official here, not me, you know more about these things."

"How do I know Dumbledore really sent you?"

Black grinned and pulled a folded-up piece of parchment out of his pocket; it bore the Hogwarts seal, unbroken."Dumbledore thought you might say that, and says that this will prove it."He handed the paper to the Secretary, who read it and nodded.

"All right, I believe you."

"So will you accept?"

"I can't say that yet.I have to talk to a lot of different people first.I can get in contact with you when I can say…."

"All right; we'll stay here then, as I don't suppose you'll be arresting us."

"No, though I would have preferred a more usual way of getting my attention."The Secretary gestured at the door."May I use it?"

"Certainly."

The Secretary left, all the while feeling the eyes of the two others in the room boring into his back.It made him very uncomfortable.

~~

Flourish and Blotts was rarely crowded, except in the last few weeks of August, and when they had a celebrity signing books, but around closing time there were eight or nine wizards browsing the shelves.Remus busied himself in stacks of books on monsters; there was a very interesting new one on vampires and another, to Remus' dismay, on werewolves.Out of morbid curiosity, he picked the werewolf book up and flipped through; he had to laugh at a few things, such as the author's peculiar idea that werewolves had pointed, furry ears no matter what phase of the month it was, and found its viewpoint incredibly biased… of course.Perhaps he should think of writing to the publisher and pointing out a few of the flaws.

He was interrupted by someone bumping into him, causing him to drop his book.He turned, stooping to pick it up, and was a bit startled to see Reesa, though of course he had expected her.

"I," he began, but her face was full of fear and silenced him.

"Sorry for bumping into you," she said."Didn't see you.Is this yours?"She held out another book which he had not been looking at; he opened his mouth to say no, then saw how desperately she was glancing from him to it and back.

"Yes, that's right," he agreed, taking the book from her.She sighed and turned, hurrying off to a section full of books on Herbology.

Remus waited a few minutes longer, then flipped Reesa's book open.Inside was a blank envelope; he slipped it into his pocket, then went to the front where he bought the werewolf book, just in case anyone was watching him.

Back at his house, he opened the envelope.A single piece of parchment fell out.

_Remus – I'm being watched. I don't dare say more than a few words to you.I'll be outside the Leaky Cauldron, on the Muggle street, at midnight tomorrow night.Please be there, I'm taking a dreadful risk._

That was all there was.Remus sat back and thought.It could easily be a trap – but to what purpose?To capture him?He knew very well that he wasn't very important.And Reesa might really have something important to tell him.

He decided that he would go, but be armed.And he was going to leave a note here, for Sirius, just in case.

To be continued, of course.You know to whom this belongs.And, in response to a review from the last piece: No, I've never been to England, though I really want to go.The reason I am able to write the dialogue accurately is that my beta reader, Blaise, is English and will tell me if a character is speaking American!

** **

**KB**


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